Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

By calypan

Ingredients

• SOAK:
• 1 lb. dry great Northern beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 ⁄2 tsp. baking soda
• COOK:
• 4 oz. salt pork, trimmed of rind, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups diced onion
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• COMBINE:
• 1 ⁄2 cup pure maple syrup, divided
• 1 ⁄3 cup molasses
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 ⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
• STIR IN:
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Soak beans in 6 cups water in a large saucepan, covered, overnight.

Add baking soda to beans. Bring beans to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Skim off any foam. Drain and reserve liquid; transfer beans to a 4- to 6-qt. slow cooker.

Cook salt pork, fat side down, in a large skillet over medium heat until fat renders, 10 minutes. Turn pork over, add onion, and cook until lightly browned, 4 minutes.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Transfer pork mixture to the slow cooker.

Combine ¼ cup maple syrup, molasses, mustard, ginger, and cloves; stir into bean mixture. Add 2½ cups reserved cooking liquid to the slow cooker. (If you have less than 2½ cups, add enough hot water to make up the difference.) Cook beans until tender and creamy, on high setting, 5–6 hours or on low setting, 9–10 hours.

Stir in remaining ¼ cup maple syrup and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.