Homemade Baked Beans

By srumbel

Homemade baked beans is a meal in itself. Tender beans in a rich, sweet sauce topped with bacon ~ what could be better! This old-fashioned recipe will soon become your favorite.
from gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com

Ingredients

• Preparation Time takes about 4 hours not including soaking time.
• Ingredients
• 1 pound dried Lima or Navy beans
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic (refrigerated kind works fine)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 T. prepared yellow mustard or honey mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 slices of lean bacon - cut into 1" pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Overnight soak: Rinse and sort beans. In a large pot add 6-8 cups cold water. Let stand overnight or at least 6-8 hours. Drain soak water and rinse beans.
Quick soak: Rinse and sort beans. In a large pot add 8 cups hot water and 1/8 tsp. baking soda. Bring to rapid boil, boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain soak water and rinse beans.

Cooking Directions:
Add 6 cups hot water, bay leaves, and garlic to drained and rinsed beans. Simmer gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Drain. Discard bay leaves.

In a large baking dish or covered casserole, combine the maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper.

Stir in beans.

Lay bacon pieces over top of beans.

Cover and bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 40 minutes more. Stir bacon into beans before serving.