Ingredients:

  • 8 oz thick-cut smoked bacon (cubed or lardons)
  • 1 large yellow onion (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 4 (15 oz) cans navy/haricot beans (drained)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup hot water or chicken stock
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C / Gas Mark 4. Drain the liquid from the canned beans, but do not rinse them. Dice the bacon and onion, and mince the garlic.
  2. In a large skillet, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving about 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat in the skillet.
  3. Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  4. In a large mixing bowl or Dutch oven, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot water/stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Add the drained beans, the cooked onion/garlic mixture, and about three-quarters of the crispy bacon to the sauce mixture. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
  6. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish/Dutch oven. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminium foil and bake for 45 minutes to allow the flavors to marry deeply.
  7. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and take off the cover. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes. This reduces the liquid and allows the sugars to caramelise into a sticky glaze.
  8. Remove the beans from the oven and let them rest for 10–15 minutes before serving; they will thicken considerably upon resting.