Sweet and Smokey Baked Beans

• porții: Serves 6-8
• timp total: Total Time: 2 hours plus

Ingrediente

• 2 ½ cups dried navy beans

• 2¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

• 6 slices thick cut bacon

• ½ cup diced onion

• 3 tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 tbsp. maple syrup

• 3 tbsp. brown sugar

• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• ¾ tsp. smoked paprika

• ¼ tsp. fresh black pepper

• 3 cups root beer or cola, divided

Instrucțiuni

1. Cover beans with cold water by 3 inches and soak overnight at room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roughly dice 3 strips of bacon.

3. Drain beans and add to shallow round enameled cast iron Dutch oven, cover with fresh water by an inch and stir in 2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rapid simmer and cook over medium heat until tender but not mushy, about 20 to 30 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to the top. Drain beans and set aside.

4. Wipe out Dutch oven, and cook diced bacon over medium heat until beginning to crisp. Add onions, stir, and cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes more. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in syrup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, paprika, pepper and remaining ¾ tsp. salt. Remove from heat, then stir in 1 cup of soda and drained beans. Pour another 1 cup of soda over the beans, cover with lid and bake for 20 minutes.

5. Remove beans from oven and increase heat to 375°F. Remove lid, and top beans with remaining three strips of bacon, cut in half if needed to fit in pan. If beans look dry, stir in a few tablespoons more soda before topping with bacon. Return to oven and bake uncovered for another 45 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and beans are bubbling and tender. If beans are still not tender after 1 hour and bacon is very crisp, cover with lid again and continue to bake until beans are tender.