ALL-AMERICAN BAKED BEANS
Source: New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

1 pound dried navy or Great Northern beans
8 ounces slab smoked bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 cups ketchup
6 tablespoons maple syrup
6 tablespoons dark molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pick through the beans and soak overnight in a large pot of water.

Rinse well under cold water and place in a heavy saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil. Skim any foam. Reduce heat, simmer until tender, 45 minutes to one hour. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place a 2-quart flame-proof casserole dish* over medium heat and saute bacon until slightly crisp and fat is rendered, 5 minutes.

Add onions and garlic, cook until wilted, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add brown sugar, stir over medium-low heat until dissolved. Stir in ketchup, syrup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add drained beans, mix well. Cover casserole, transfer to the oven.

Bake, stirring occasionally**, for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, until beans are at desired doneness.

Add 3/4 cup of reserved bean liquid, recover, bake 30 minutes.

Remove cover and bake until sauce is thick and syrupy, another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once.

Serve hot.

Servings: 10-12

Steve Hammond's Comments:

*Instead of a casserole dish, I use a cast iron Dutch oven. It has a handle and glass lid.

**A note of caution, be careful when removing the lid to give the beans a stir. The steam that comes out is *very* hot. My wife got a nasty burn from the steam when she tipped the lid to stir the beans. (Steve Hammond, rec.food.cooking, 7/14/94)