This recipe uses dried beans, which are very cheap! However, they need to be soaked overnight, and they cook all day, so you really need to start working on this recipe the day before you want to serve it. It's not complicated, but it does take planning ahead. Makes 6 - 8 servings.
Ingredients:
| 1 lb. | dry navy beans | 450 - 500 g
|
| 2 quarts | water | 2 litres
|
| 1 tsp. | salt | 5 ml
|
| 1 | large onion |
|
| 1 - 2 tsp. | dry mustard | 5 - 10 ml
|
| 1 - 2 tsp. | Worcestershire sauce | 5 - 10 ml
|
| ½ cup | firmly packed dark brown sugar | 180 ml or 135 grams
|
| ½ cup | molasses | 180 ml
|
Notes and Substitutions:
- Navy beans: if you can't find navy beans, you can substitute pea beans, Great Northern beans, or yellow eye beans &mdash just about any type of dried white bean. Just don't use red kidney beans, or black beans.
- Dark brown sugar or molasses: for either of these you can substitute the other one &mdash that is, use all brown sugar or all molasses, instead of half brown sugar and half molasses.
For one of them, could could also substitute real maple syrup, or (if you really have to) light brown sugar. Never use white sugar &mdash the baked bean flavour comes from dark brown sugar or molasses &mdash white sugar is too bland.
- Worcestershire sauce: you don't have any? Unbelievable! Go out and get some right now!!!
- Dry mustard: you can substitute 1 - 2 tablespoons (15 - 30 ml) Dijon mustard.
Directions:
- The previous day, put beans in large pot (or Dutch oven). Add water and let soak overnight (a minimum of 6 hours).
- (Alternately &mdash if you really have to do it on the same day &mdash put beans in pot, add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let simmer about 2 - 3 minutes, then remove from heat and cover. Let stand about 1 hour.)
- Turn burner to high, and bring beans to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer about 45 - 60 minutes.
- While beans are cooking, peel and chop the onion.
- Preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃).
- When beans are ready, drain and remove from pot, but keep the cooking liquid.
- Measure cooking liquid; put 2 cups (450 - 500 ml) into a saucepan.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except for beans) and mix thoroughly. Let cook on medium low heat, stirring regularly, until mixture starts to bubble.
- Spoon beans into a bean dish, casserole dish, or Dutch oven, pour the heated molasses mixture over them, cover, and place in preheated oven.
- Bake for 4 - 6 hours. Check every 60 minutes to see that beans aren't drying out. If they are, add more of the reserved bean-cooking liquid, or, if there isn't enough left, plain water.
- If you want a crust on top, remove lid for last 30 minutes of cooking (but make sure beans are completely tender first).
- For a complete protein, serve with cornbread, brown bread, or whole wheat toast.
Disclaimer: while these hints are the result of years of experience and/or lots of research, in the end they are just my personal opinion. If you try something I suggest and it doesn't work, please don't sue me &mdash I guarantee nothing. Best of luck!
Page created and maintained by A. Steinbergs
Last modified: September 22, 2008