Pork Belly Baked Beans

Directions

1. Add beans to a bowl, cover with water and soak covered in refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

2. When ready to cook, drain beans. Add to pot of boiling water, with 2.5 tsp smoked Malden (regular salt will work fine, too.)

3. Boil for about 30 minutes until softened. Drain beans, but save the boiling water.

4. ***If you don't want to have to soak beans, skip these steps and start with drained canned navy beans. Your cook time will be shorter. Test occasionally for texture during cooking) ***

5. Preheat oven to 250º

6. Add pork belly to cast iron pan, starting cold. Turn heat to medium and allow pork belly to brown on all sides, and fat to render (that's why we're starting with a cold pan!) **if you don't have pork belly available, ask your local butcher to cut you a pound of unsliced bacon!**

7. Once browned, add diced onion and cook to soften. 3-5 minutes.

8. Add drained beans in, with pepper, brown sugar, and Duke’s Hickory Moonshine BBQ sauce. Stir to combine.

9. Add boiling water to mostly cover beans. Cover pan, and bake for about 3 hours.

10. Remove from oven, uncover, sprinkle with additional brown sugar, and maldon salt.

11. Return to oven for 45 minutes. Broil for an additional 5 to get a nice, crispy crust. Cool slightly before serving (allows beans/sauce to set).