Baked Beans with Pork Hocks Recipe

My absolute favorite side dish for a barbecue meal is BAKED BEANS!

I think the best baked beans have the smoky, bacon-y flavour that comes from pork hocks.  If you haven't tried making baked beans from scratch, you've gotta!

Baked Beans with Pork Hocks:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried beans (pinto, navy, or other), soaked overnight, and drained
• 2 to 3 lbs smoke pork hock
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can tomato sauce, 680 mL or 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Soak beans overnight.  Drain.  Place beans in large saucepan and fill with water (to at least two inches above the beans).  Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until soft. Drain water off beans.

In a large slow cooker, mix together beans, tomato sauce or ketchup, mo=aple syrup, brown sugar, and salt and pepper.  Once mixed, place pork hock or hocks into the centre of the bean mixture.

Cook in slow cooker on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours or on high.  With two forks, shred the meat on the pork hock and remove the bone.

This recipe makes a large dish of baked beans - great for a potluck or event.