Baked Beans

        The other night I made baked beans, for maybe the second time ever.  I don't know why I haven't made them more because they are so easy and so delicious!  Actually, I think the reason I never made them more was because I never had good meat (ethically raised & slaughtered, natural/organic) to put into it.  I think the first time I made them they must have been vegan, because if they'd been as good as the ones I made this week, there's no way I wouldn't have found a good source of meat to use with them.  I'm convinced it's the fat that gives the beans their rich, saucy amazingness.  So without further ado, my recipe:

        I am not including a picture of my own baked beans because it is beyond my realm of my talent (or my cheap camera's) as a photographer to capture an attractive picture of them. I'll include this google image search photo so you can get an idea of the consistency you're going for.

Navy beans; I used a 2 or 3 lb bag, there were about 6-8 cups of dry beans
Nice, fatty hunk of meat; I used a 1 1/2-ish lb piece of pork from one of my brothers-in-law's farm.
Two 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, with canning juice
4 or so medium sized onions, chopped
1/2-3/4 black strap molasses
1 tbsp Himalayan pink salt
2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1. Soak beans overnight in water.  I soaked them for 24 hours, don't know if it makes any difference Make sure there's at least a couple inches of water over the beans because they will expand and soak up the water.
2. Preheat oven to 290 F.
3. Drain and rinse beans, put in roasting pan or large baking vessel.  I used a canning pot because that's all I had.
4. Add tomatoes, onions, molasses, S&P and stir together.
5. Place meat in center and push down to bottom.
6. Cover it all with water, an inch or so above the beans.  You do not want them to dry out while baking.
7. Cover with lid and place in oven.  Bake overnight.  If you put them in the oven a couple hours before bed, give them a stir and add a bit more liquid.  You don't have to get up in the night to stir it, but if nature calls in the wee hours, it doesn't hurt to give them another mix and make sure they are not too dry.
8. Stir again and add more water if necessary first thing after you wake up.  
9. After they've been baking for 12 hours or so, take the lid off for the final hour of baking, or until they are not runny anymore.  You can continue to bake them all day till dinner if you want, just don't let them get really dry.   

        I served them with homemade cornbread muffins with honey from The Mennonite Community Cookbook recipe, and veggie sticks and a couple slices each of old cheddar.

In the future, I'll make these using our own home-grown meat, onions and tomatoes...some day...

Happy baking!