Honey- or Maple-Glazed Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pound(s) dried pinto beans (about 2 cups)
• 10 cup(s) water
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 8 ounce(s) bacon, diced or 1 ham hock
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 cup(s) honey or pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon(s) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Pick over then rinse pinto beans. Combine with water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the beans are almost tender, about one hour.
2. 2. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
3. 3. In the same Dutch oven, saute the bacon and onion until onion begins to soften, about five minutes. (If using ham hock, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to onion, and add hock with the cooking liquid.) Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add half of the reserved cooking liquid and the honey or syrup, ginger, mustard, salt and pepper. Add enough additional cooking liquid so that mixture is slightly liquidy or stew-like, but still thick. Cover and bake until beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. (If using ham hock, shred the meat, discard the bone and return meat to the pot.)