Maple Baked Beans on Toast with Fried Egg

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the Beans

   • Place the dried navy beans in a large bowl. Pick through them to remove any stones or debris.
   • Cover the beans with cold water by at least 3 inches. Let them soak for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
   • After soaking, drain the beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with fresh water.
2. 2

   Parboil the Beans

   • Transfer the soaked and rinsed beans to a large pot or Dutch oven.
   • Add fresh water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
   • Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. This step helps soften the skins. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
   • Drain the beans, reserving at least 2 cups of the cooking liquid for the sauce.
3. 3

   Build the Flavor Base

   • Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
   • In the same Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until it becomes crispy.
   • Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
   • Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté in the bacon fat for 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
4. 4

   Combine Ingredients

   • Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the pure maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar, dijon mustard, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
   • Add the parboiled beans and the reserved crispy bacon back into the pot.
   • Pour in the 2 cups of reserved bean cooking liquid. If needed, add a little more hot water so the liquid just covers the beans. Stir gently to combine everything.
5. 5

   Slow Bake to Perfection

   • Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven.
   • Bake for 4 hours. Check the beans every hour, giving them a gentle stir and adding a splash of hot water if they appear to be drying out.
   • For the final 30 minutes of baking, you can remove the lid to allow the sauce to thicken and the top to darken slightly.
6. 6

   Rest and Serve

   • Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the beans rest, covered, for 15-20 minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
   • While the beans are resting, toast the slices of thick-cut bread until golden brown and crisp.
   • To serve, spoon a generous amount of the hot maple baked beans over each slice of toast. Serve immediately.