OLD FASHIONED BAKED BEANS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

After the beans have soaked overnight, drain them in a colander and place them back in the pot.   Cover them again by 2” with clean water.  Bring them to a boil and reduce the heat to a low boil.  Cover the pot and cook for 1 hour until soft.

While the beans bubble away, cook the bacon in a large 4-5 quart Dutch oven (or bean pot if you have one) over medium high heat.  When the bacon is almost crisp, add the onions and garlic.  Continue to cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the Dutch oven and stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to low.

Drain the beans in a colander placed over a bowl, to reserve the cooking liquid.

Add the beans and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the Dutch oven.  Stir everything together and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and place it in the oven.  Cook for 1 hour.

Remove the pot and add another cup of the cooking liquid.  Stir to combine, scraping down the sides of the pot, and place the beans back in the oven for another hour.

After 2 hours remove the cover, stir the beans, and place them back in the oven for 15-30 minutes until they are mahogany brown and saucy.  Remove from the oven and keep warm until ready to serve.  Add as much of the remaining cooking liquid as needed to create a glossy sauce.  YUM!!