1 pound dried navy beans
9 slices lean bacon, chopped
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 cup chicken stock
optional
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Pre-soak the beans by placing them in a colander and rinse thoroughly with water to clean. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and thoroughly rinse the beans; reserve. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Drain the beans.
Stir in the bacon, brown sugar, molasses and dry mustard. Transfer the bean mixture to a medium-size bean pot or casserole dish and bake, covered, for about 7 hours, until tender. Check the consistency several times during baking. If the beans become overly dry, add the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Find this baked beans recipe and more in Chef Walter Staib’s The City Tavern Cookbook.
Find more authentic recipes from “A Taste of History” at atasteofhistory.org.
For more great cooking ideas, visit our Recipes page at coloradocountrylife.coop/recipes.