Baked beans Eichkatzerl's style

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g beans, white dried
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 can of tomatoes, peeled
• 6 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• e.g. Worcestershire sauce
• n. B. Balsamic vinegar dark
• e.g. cayenne pepper
• 75 g bacon, diced
• e.g. salt and pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Total time approx. 12 hours 30 minutes

the long cooking time is worth it

Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight (at least 12 hours). Drain the water and rinse the beans thoroughly (this makes them easier to digest and prevents them from bloating later!). Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic. Puree the canned tomatoes. Heat a little oil (I use olive oil) in a pot (preferably a heavy cast iron one) and sauté the onions, garlic, and bacon. Add the sugar and let it caramelize slightly. Deglaze everything with Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar and let it reduce slightly. Add the tomato paste and sauté briefly. Pour in the pureed tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water (twice) and add the water to the sauce. Season with cayenne pepper and add the bay leaves. Do not add salt!! Otherwise the beans will remain tough! Add the beans to the sauce and simmer over low heat for about 4 hours until tender (it may take less or longer depending on the size of the beans. Therefore, check the beans frequently after the third hour to make sure they don’t overcook). Remove the bay leaves at the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper and add more Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and sugar to taste. This goes well with flatbread and salad.