Homemade Maple Baked Beans

As the daughter of British parents I have had my share of beans on toast.  I do love a can of Heinz Vegetarian Beans in Tomato Sauce but I thought I would give my own a try.  I used a recipe from Michael Smith's The Best of Chef at Home and adapted it slightly.

The beans were very good, the texture just right and the taste not too sweet.  Definitely more of a Quebec-style baked bean (Feves au Lard) with the maple syrup giving a nice sweetness to them vs the more common Boston-style baked beans made with molasses and brown sugar. Great for any meal - dinner, breakfast or brunch!


Ingredients & Preparation: Serves 4-6

• 2 cups of dried white or navy beans, soaked in cold water overnight
• 1.5 cups of water
• 1 cup of real maple syrup
• 6 slices of thick cut fried bacon, diced, fat reserved (can omit if vegetarian)
• 1 or 2 large onions, diced
• 1 tbsp powdered ginger
• 2 tbsp of any mustard (I used Dijon)
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• sea salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of any vinegar just before serving

Preheat your oven to 325F.  Strain the beans from their soaking water and rinse well.  Put the beans in a sauce pan and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are tender - about 45 minutes to an hour. Cook the bacon and set aside.

Drain the beans and put them in a 4 litre oven proof baking dish with a tight fitting lid.  Add the maple syrup, bacon, onions, ginger, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper. Add as much or little of the reserved bacon fat as you care to. Stir well.

Cover and place in the oven and bake until the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender.  My beans took about 3.5 hours.  You can cook them longer but I would turn the heat down to 300F. Stir in the vinegar just before serving.