Maple Bacon Baked Beans – by Chef Anthony Salemme

By Anthony Salemme, contributing chef

Serves 12 as a side

Thick cut smoked pork belly bacon gives these small white beans a sweet hot smoky flavor. Perfect side for all your grilled feasts this Summer.

The Beans

1-pound dry small white beans

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon marjoram

4 cloves peeled garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife

1 large white onion, peeled and chopped in half

8 cups water

12 ounces thick cut smoked pork belly or bacon cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup ketchup

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

salt to taste toward the end of cooking time.

In a Dutch oven place the beans, onion, garlic, marjoram, bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hr. 15 minutes. The beans should be tender at this point but there will be some water left.

Pre-heat oven to 300F.

Next stir in the ketchup, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, top off with the bacon. Bake for 3 hours. Stir and make sure there is enough liquid every hour. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue cooking one more hour.

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Anthony loves to cook and share recipes. You can follow him on Instagram at – @mealpvd and online at www.anthonysalemme.com