I’ve been meaning to write this recipe up for a while now, but I was still futzing about with it. These take several hours, but your house will smell amazing in the meantime. And the prep itself is really quite easy.
Ingredients:
1 pound northern beans; 4 slices thick-cut good quality bacon (organic, local, pastured and/or antibiotic free); 1/3 cup molasses, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 1 cup strong brewed coffee, 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
Soak the beans in water overnight and then drain them. Place them in a saucepan and just cover with water. Simmer for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325. Drain the beans again and add them to a dutch oven. Chop the bacon into 1 inch pieces and top the beans with them. Whisk together the remaining ingredients (except for the tablespoon of maple syrup) and pour over the beans. Cook for about two and half hours, or until the beans are tender. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup. These are absolutely amazing. With green beans or chard and some whole grain bread, it’s a hearty and satisfying winter meal.
