Bourbon-Brown Sugar Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS

BBQ Sauce:
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Baked Beans:
16oz dry navy beans
1/4 lb bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow or white onion finely diced

PREP AND SERVE

1. Place the dried beans in a pot of water covered by a few inches of water and let soak overnight. Drain the beans, place them back in the pot with fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour, then drain, reserving the liquid.
2. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl and whisk together.
3. In a Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot fry the bacon until crispy. Discard the bacon fat but keep 3 tablespoons in the pot.
4. Add the onions and cook with bacon and fat until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
6. Add BBQ sauce and navy beans to the bacon and onions and mix well together.
7. Cover pot with lid and place in the oven to bake for one hour.
8. Take lid off and bake for an additional 30 mins or until golden brown.