These sticky-sweet and savory Marionberry-Bacon Baked beans are a cinch to make in a pressure cooker, but they’re equally easy in an oven (or a low grill on dying coals). Whether you prefer them on toast (like Brits), with brown bread (like Bostonians) or with barbecue (like Southerners), Oregon marionberries provide the perfect balance of sweet and tart that any good baked beans recipe needs.
Recipe by Heather Arndt Anderson from the Voodoo and Sauce Blog
voodooandsauce.com
2 Cups small dry white beans (such as navy or Great Northern)
4 Cups water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ of a small onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
3 Cups frozen marionberries
1 Cup brewed coffee, black
1 Cup brown sugar
¼ Cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
¼ Cup chopped onion
Step 1
Rinse the dry beans, then add them with the water, garlic, ¼ onion, and salt to the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Allow natural pressure release, then drain off any excess liquid.
Step 1
Soak the dry beans in fresh water overnight, then drain and rinse.
Step 2
Add the soaked beans with water, garlic, onion, and salt and bring to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for two hours, until the beans are tender. Drain off any excess liquid.
Step 1
While the beans are cooking, make the marionberry sauce by simmering the marionberries over medium-low heat with the coffee, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices.
Step 2
Simmer for about 45 minutes, until reduced by about ⅓ (should be about 2 cups of sauce).
Step 3
Cook the chopped bacon and ¼ cup chopped onion, then use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and onions from the pan.
Step 4
Add the cooked bacon and onion to the marionberry sauce and stir to combine.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Step 6
Gently fold the cooked beans into the marionberry-bacon sauce and spoon into a cast iron skillet.
Step 7
Bake, uncovered, for 90 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and bubbly.