Nan's Baked Beans

I called up my mother to get my maternal grandmother's (Nan) baked bean recipe for Thanksgiving.  I modified it slightly and I think that I'm going to try it lightly smoked the next time I make it.  Last year I tried growing some great northern beans and I became quite enamored of them and I switched out the conventional beans for Great Northern Beans in Nan's recipe.

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Nan's Baked Beans

2 cups Dried Great Northern Beans

4 cups Homemade Chili Sauce

2 cups Brown Sugar

2 tbsp of Molasses

2 tbsp of Vinegar

1 tbsp of Tomato Paste

2 tbsp of Grainy Mustard

12 slices Thick Cut Bacon

2 tsp Baking Soda

Soak beans overnight.  Bring the beans and baking soda to a boil in ten cups of water.  Drain and Rinse the beans.  Bring the beans to a simmer in ten cups of cups and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes.  Place beans in a large casserole dish.  Mix the chili sauce, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar, tomato paste & grainy mustard together and pour over the beans, gently stir the mixture into the beans. Place the bacon on to of the mixture and bake at 350F until bubbling.  Alternatively, pre-cook the bacon, slice it and mix directly into the beans.

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My grandmother was the type of cook that could boil your dirty underwear without salt or spices and you'd ask for seconds.