Bostonian Baked Beans

Congratulations to our Sausage Fest Contest winner, Jennifer O. from Massachusetts, who submitted a New England recipe for her homemade baked beans with bacon … and then turn it into good ole Frank 'n' Beans!

(We wouldn't get our Bostonian bean secrets from anywhere but the locals.)

Serves 12 | Total Time: More Than 60 Mins

Ingredients

1 lb. organic dried navy beans
4 slices Applegate Organics^® Sunday Bacon^® Brand
1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄3-1 cup barbecue sauce
2⁄3 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 packages Applegate Organics^® Hot Dogs

Instructions

Rinse beans well.
Place in large bowl and add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches.
Let beans soak at least 8-12 hours (longer is fine, too).
Drain and rinse beans; place in heavy kettle (cast iron works great).
Add enough cold water to cover the beans by one inch.
Bring to slow simmer, skimming the surface often to remove foam. While beans are simmering, heat oven to 300-325 degrees.
Cook bacon in a skillet; drain strips on paper towels, reserving the fat in the pan.
After beans have simmered slowly 20-30 minutes, chop the bacon and add it to the beans.
Stir in some or all of the reserved bacon fat, if desired.
Stir in maple syrup, barbecue sauce, onion, mustard and salt.
Return mixture to a simmer.
Cover pot tightly and bake until beans are fully tender, 3 - 4 hours.

You want to end up with very tender beans in a thickened sauce. If there’s too much liquid at the end, transfer pot to a stove burner and cook beans over medium high, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced. You can also thicken them by pressing some beans against the sides of the pot.

You may serve the beans right away, but they will taste even better if you: a.) leave them in a warm oven for a couple hours; b.) let them cool down completely and then reheat them; or c.) cool and refrigerate them overnight.

Once you have your tasty baked beans, slice up your hot dogs so they look like coins.
Toss them into the prepared baked beans and let them cook on medium heat for about another 15 minutes.

If you have a crock pot, it is easier to put the beans and franks in it - that way if you are going to tailgate or a potluck, you can safely transport and keep this hearty healthy meal warm and ready!

You can make batches and freeze a whole bunch. It keeps very well, and can be reheated in oven, on stove, or in the microwave. It’s a great meal that warms your belly and keeps it felling full. Low fat, organic, and scrumptious!