Beka Brown Maple Baked Beans

by BC Farms & Food - Permalink
February 24, 2016

RECIPE

With the increasing interest in heirloom beans, we’ve developed this delicious recipe for Beka Brown Maple Baked Beans. Plump, hearty, golden-brown Beka Brown beans add an extra edge of flavour to this traditional side dish. If you can’t find Beka Browns, you can substitute navy beans.

This recipe makes a lot so you can save and freeze the leftovers for future dinners. Also great as a large pot of beans for barbecues and parties.

A pot of Beka Brown Maple Baked Beans, made with Beka Brown beans, a hearty heirloom dry bean.

Serves: 12

3 cups dried Beka Brown beans or navy beans
12 cups water
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Quick soak the beans: Rinse and pick out any shrivelled beans. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 3 times as much water as beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans stand, covered, for 1 hour.

Drain and rinse the beans, and place them in a large ovenproof pot with a lid. Bring to a boil on the stove top, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the beans, covered, for 1 hour.

While the beans are simmering, chop the onions and garlic. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). After the beans have simmered for 1 hour, drain off and reserve the liquid. Stir in the onions, garlic and maple syrup mixture. Add back enough of the reserved cooking liquid to just cover the beans.

Cover and bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300ºF (150ºC) and bake for 3 hours. Stir the beans after about an hour and a half. Bake until the beans are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in the apple cider vinegar about 5 minutes before removing from the oven.

More about heirloom beans:
In Search of the Local Bean
23 Heirloom Beans

More recipes:
Tuscan White Beans with Rosemary
Minestrone with Pesto