Grandma Hogsett's Baked Beans

Happy Memorial Day!


Here's the bean recipe. It's not wildly specific, some of it you just have to wing. I'll tell you how I wing it:

2-3 cans pork and beans. Yesterday I used two of the really big cans of Campbells. That's a decent measure, but if you like you can stir in another medium-sized can or so when they start to cook down -- makes it more beany.

1/2 - 1 small bottle of ketchup. I usually just dump in the whole thing. Probably a couple of cups at least.

1 handful of brown sugar. I just reach in and grab some -- I'm guessing 1/3 - 1/2 cup, packed

1/2 cup pancake syrup. Really, don't use good maple syrup; it's not the right taste. Mrs. Butterworth's or Log Cabin or whatever works fine for this.

1 TBS. ground pepper (really.)

1/2 pound bacon, cut up.

A pinch salt. (That's just ludicrous. I never put any salt in. See bacon, above.... There is nothing in this recipe except the onion and the pepper that doesn't contain salt. Well, maybe the brown sugar. Maybe)

This calls for 3 medium onions. I used just one of those really big white ones. The recipe doesn't say diced, but duh. Dice them.

Bake at 350 until done. Oh, that's helpful. I bake them with the lid on until they start to really bubble and then I take the lid off and let them cook down. Around five hours, I'd say. Stir every half hour. Be careful. This is about a gallon of burn unit in a big heavy, steamy pan. And you can hurt your back, no lie.