Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Dried Navy or Great Northern Beans (soaked overnight and rinsed)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 4 oz Diced Smoked Bacon or Salt Pork
  • 1 cup Water or Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Dark Molasses
  • 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup (Grade A Dark)
  • 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons packed Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Soak the dried beans overnight in a large bowl covered with several inches of water. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use. (If using canned beans, skip this step).
  2. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced bacon or salt pork until crispy. Remove the bacon bits and set aside for garnish, leaving the rendered fat behind.
  3. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat until softened and translucent (about 5–7 minutes).
  4. Whisk together the ketchup, molasses, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, and smoked paprika in a separate bowl to create the sauce base.
  5. Transfer the sautéed onions, the sauce mixture, the soaked and drained beans, and the stock/water into the slow cooker basin. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours OR HIGH for 3–4 hours. Stir gently halfway through the cooking process.
  7. Taste the finished beans. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and switch the cooker to HIGH for the final 30 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
  8. Ladle into a serving dish and garnish immediately with the reserved crispy bacon bits.