Potent Maple Baked Beans
8 cups (2 L) water
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) small dried white beans
6 slices side bacon, cut in 2-inch strips
1 cooking onion, chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dry mustard
1/2 cup (125 mL) real maple syrup
1/2 cup (125 mL) dark rum
2 tbsp (30 mL) dark brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter
Wash and pick over beans. Put beans and water in saucepan,
cover. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and
let stand, covered, for an hour. Return to heat, bring back to a
boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Drain
beans through a colander set over a bowl. Reserve 2 1/2 cups
(625 mL) of the cooking liquid and set aside. Put bacon in
ovenproof casserole or bean pot. Cover with cooked beans. In a
bowl combine onion, salt, mustard, syrup, rum and 2 cups (500 mL)
of reserved cooking liquid. Pour mixture over beans. Cover and
bake in 325 F (165 C) oven for 3 hours, adding last 1/2 cup (125
mL) of cooking liquid during last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove
from oven. Combine brown sugar, melted butter. Drizzle over
beans. Bake, uncovered, for another hour or until liquid has
evaporated.
Makes 6 servings |