¼cupbrown sugaruse up to ½ cup if you like REALLY sweet beans
¼cuppure maple syrup
1teaspoonkosher salt
2teaspoonsdry mustard
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
½cupapple juiceor water
½cupwater
Instructions
Prepare Navy Beans
Place dried beans in a container that can be fitted with a lid. Pour fresh water over the beans until the water is at least 1 inch above the beans. Seal the container shut. Soak beans for 8-12 hours.
After soaking, drain the beans. Add the soaked beans to a large stock pan. Cover beans by 1 inch with fresh cold water.
Bring water to a rapid boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour. Drain cooked beans well.
Alternatively, you can speed up the process by cooking the soaked beans in the Instant Pot after they have been soaked (Navy beans' texture is best if soaked before cooking.)
For the Baked Beans
Preheat oven to 300℉
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced bacon. Cook until bacon begins to render fat and then stir in the chopped onion. Saute bacon and onions together until onions begin to soften and the bacon is browned and slightly crisp. This should take about 5-6 minutes. After browned, drain off the excess grease that the bacon has rendered.
In a large bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, dried mustard, vinegar, apple juice, water, and salt until well combined. Add in bacon and onion mixture and cooked beans and gently stir to combine.
Pour the bean mixture into a 2-quart oven-safe dish. Beans should be pretty well submerged in liquid and the mixture should be relatively loose. If there does not seem to be enough liquid in the baking dish, add up to ½ cup of additional water or juice. Cover the pan with foil or an oven-safe lid.
Bake covered for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the lid or foil, and bake for another 30-40 minutes, until thickened.
Notes
Type of Beans: Navy Beans are traditional for baked beans, but pinto beans or great Northern can be used in a pinch. Using Canned Beans: In place of dried beans, you can use 4 cups of rinsed and drained navy beans--measure after draining.Dried Mustard: In place of dried mustard, feel free to use 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard.Sweeter Baked Beans: For really sweet baked beans use ketchup in place of the tomato sauce OR add up to ½ cup brown sugar instead of ¼ cup brown sugar. Vegetarian Baked Beans: Omit the bacon and add the onions raw to the bean mixture. You may need to increase the salt by up to 1 teaspoon as the bacon has quite a bit of sodium. Storage: Homemade Baked Beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave as desired, or enjoy cold. Freezing: Prepare as directed, allow them to cool fully, then transfer the beans to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer-safe bag, leaving 1-2 inches of extra space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, allow the beans to thaw fully in the refrigerator and then reheat the beans in a baking dish, covered with foil (or fitted with an oven-safe lid) at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes to warm through. Alternatively, you can microwave them in a heat-safe dish fitted with a heat-safe lid for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute.