About the Recipe
This recipe is based on my dad’s home-made beans, which we enjoyed many times throughout our lives. Traditionally, this recipe was made with bacon and salt pork. One day, however, I decided to take the recipe into my Food Lab and this is the result. I left out the salt pork but kept the original seasonings and added a couple of meats. Now, dad's beans have been elevated.
The combination of bacon, ham and corned beef gives the beans a hearty and delicious twist.
I like to think of this recipe as “dad’s beans on steroids”.
Ingredients
900 grams of dried navy beans
250 grams lean bacon, finely chopped
350 grams of smoked ham, chopped into pea sized pieces
150 grams of corned beef or smoked meat, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 medium onions (approximately 180 g), finely chopped
¾ cup of golden yellow or brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of salt
1.6-1.7 liters of cold water + water to pre-boil beans
Preparation
Preparing the Beans
Wash 900 grams of dried navy beans in cold water using a colander.
Check for and remove any unsightly beans or rocks. Yes, there can be rocks and/or other undesirables mixed in with the beans. It is important to check the beans carefully. Laying them out on a tray or in a shallow pan is a good way to expedite this process.
Put the beans in a large pot or a Dutch oven with a capacity of about 7 liters.
Add cold water to 7-8 centimeters (3 inches) above the level of the beans.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and then continue boiling for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain the water using a colander then lightly rinse the beans with cold water.
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F (176˚ C)
Return the beans to the pot.
Adding the Ingredients and Baking
Add the following ingredients to the roasting pot with the beans and stir:
250 grams lean bacon, finely chopped
350 grams of smoked ham chopped into pea sized pieces
150 grams of corned beef or smoked meat, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 medium onions (approximately 180 g), finely chopped
¾ cup of golden yellow or brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of salt
Add approximately 1.2 liters of water. There should be just enough water so the beans are barely covered.
Cover and bake for approximately 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the beans are tender, checking hourly for the water level.
When you check the beans, stir them lightly and top off the water to its original level.
During the last hour of cooking, you can let the water level drop a little. It is typical to have to add between 400-500 milliliters of water during the cooking process.
Some prefer beans with a lot of sauce and some prefer them with less sauce. Keep your preference in mind when adding water in the final hour of cooking.
Serve hot or cold.
Beans go great with homemade bread. Click on the link below for a wonderful bread recipe.
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