All-American Baked Beans

Based on a recipe from The New Basics Cookbook, authors of The Silver Palate Cookbook. The intro says, "One of those American classics, first created in the Puritan era in Boston. No cooking was allowed on the Sabbath, so they served beans Saturday night for dinner, for Sunday breakfast with codfish cakes and Boston Brown Bread, and again for Sunday lunch." Note: the 4 hour cooking time includes a one hour simmer and a 2 1/2 hour baking during which time occasional stirring is required; it does not include the overnight bean soaking time.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  lb dried navy beans or 1  lb great northern bean
• 8  ounces  slab smoked bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1  cup onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, 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 fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Rinse and pick through beans; soak them overnight in large pot of water.
2. Place the beans in a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer beans to a heavy saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain, reserving the liquid.
3. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees farenheit.
4. Heat a 2-quart ovenproof casserole or dutch oven over medium heat; saute the bacon until it is slightly crisp and fat is rendered, 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until wilted, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the brown sugar and stir over medium-low heat until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ketchup, syrup, molasses, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Add the drained beans and mix well.
6. Cover casserole and transfer to oven. Bake, stirring occasionally (making sure you scrap the bottom of the casserole), for 2/12 hours.
7. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved bean liquid, recover, and bake 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake until the sauce is thick and syrupy, another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once. Serve hot.