Ingredients:

  • 500 g (1 pound) Dried Haricot Beans (Navy Beans)
  • 5 L (10 cups) Cold Water
  • 120 g (4 oz) Smoked Streaky Bacon, diced (or Salt Pork)
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 350 ml (1 ½ cups) Hot Chicken or Vegetable Stock (or reserved bean liquid)
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Black Treacle (or unsulphured Molasses)
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Quality Ketchup
  • 60 ml (4 tbsp) Cider Vinegar (or White Wine Vinegar)
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) Dijon Mustard
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) Worcestershire Sauce (optional, but highly recommended for umami)
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) Smoked Paprika (for colour and depth)
  • 60 g (¼ cup, packed) Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

Instructions:

  1. Rinse and Sort: Thoroughly rinse the dry beans and pick through them. Place beans in the large pot and cover with 2.5 L cold water. Allow to soak overnight (8-12 hours). (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: boil beans for 5 minutes, turn off heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.)
  2. Drain and Simmer: Drain the soaked beans and rinse again. Return beans to the pot, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes until the beans are just tender (al dente). Drain the beans, reserving 350 ml (1 ½ cups) of the cooking liquid for the sauce. Set the beans aside.
  3. Render Bacon: In the heavy-bottomed, oven-safe Dutch oven, sauté the diced bacon or salt pork over medium heat until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Set the crispy bacon aside for later garnish.
  4. Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté until soft and translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add the minced garlic and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pot by adding the cider vinegar and scraping up any browned bits.
  5. Mix and Combine the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the black treacle/molasses, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper. Pour the sauce mixture into the Dutch oven. Stir in the reserved bean liquid (or stock) until well combined. Bring to a very gentle simmer.
  6. Add Beans: Fold the par-cooked beans into the sauce mixture. Ensure they are fully submerged. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid.
  7. Initial Bake and Finish: Bake for 3 hours. After 3 hours, check the liquid level and stir gently; add water or stock if dry. Return the beans to the oven, uncovered (or slightly ajar), and bake for another 1–2 hours until the sauce is thick, glossy, and sticky. The total bake time should be 4–5 hours.
  8. Final Seasoning and Rest: Remove the beans from the oven. Taste and add the fine sea salt and any extra pepper (Do not salt early). Allow the beans to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. Garnish with the reserved crispy bacon pieces.