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Ingredients
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Baked Beans
Method
Baked Beans
Soak the beans
Rinse the dry beans under cold water and remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with 6–8 cups of cold water. Soak overnight (8–12 hours) or use a quick soak: bring beans and 6 cups water to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans before cooking.
Cook the beans
Place soaked, drained beans in a large pot and add 2 cups broth and enough fresh water to cover by about 1 inch (about 4–6 cups depending on pot). Add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are tender but not falling apart, about 45–60 minutes. Skim any foam. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Preheat oven and prepare half pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a half-size steam table pan (approximately 12 x 10 x 2.5 inches) or a similarly sized baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cook the aromatics and bacon
While beans are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until fat renders and edges brown, about 6–8 minutes. Remove most of the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan. If needed, add the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté in the fat until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
Make sauce
To the skillet with onions and bacon fat, stir in ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to combine and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning — keep in mind beans will mellow flavors as they bake.
Combine beans and sauce
Place the cooked, drained beans into the prepared half pan. Stir the reserved bacon pieces into the beans. Pour the sauce over the beans and gently fold to combine. If mixture seems too thick, add up to 1 cup reserved bean cooking liquid or water to reach a saucy but not soupy consistency. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste).
Bake
Cover the half pan tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–25 minutes, basting once, until sauce is bubbly and slightly caramelized at the edges. For a thicker, more caramelized top, bake uncovered an extra 10 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Finish and rest
Remove from oven and let rest 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or acidity with a splash more vinegar if needed. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.