Two-Day Baked Beans

Beans prior to baking

Rumor has it there's a recession going on--have you noticed? One (possibly the only) great side effect of the recession is the resurgence of the "green" lifestyle. I say resurgence, because I believe most "green" behavior closely mimics how our forefathers weathered the Great Depression: we're thinking more carefully about what we buy, trying not to waste resources, and getting the most out of what we do use. If we're smart, we'll carry on this behavior even in the fat times to come, like those Depression-era survivors. It's frugal and it helps the planet by reducing waste. But to bring this post back around to Things Culinary, let us ponder the humble dried bean.
A pound of dried Great Northern (AKA white or cannelini) beans costs about $1 when purchased in bulk. This pound will serve four people when made into a main dish such as a soup, or eight if made into a side dish such as baked beans. Each 1/2-cup serving has eight grams of protein, 13 of fiber, and almost no sodium. What's not to love?
Canned beans, unfortunately, cost more, consume more energy in shipping and production, have much higher sodium, and also have high amounts of bisphenols or BPAs. (Lots of people now drink their water out of Nalgene or metal bottles to avoid BPAs. They're also reducing plastic bottle waste. Bonus!) What canned beans have going for them is instant gratification--open the can and start cooking. It just takes a wee bit more planning to use dried beans, though. Heck, you can even pre-soak and par-cook dried, then freeze them in their cooking liquid for your own homemade, healthier "canned" beans.
This dish is called "two-day beans" because you soak them overnight. If you need "today beans," you can follow the quick-cook instructions. Although the dish contains bacon, it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan (hey, even greener) with a few simple substitutions (see "Variations" notes below).

Two-Day Baked Beans

1 pound of dried beans
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 c.)
4-5 slices of bacon, cooked or raw, cut into strips
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 t. dry mustard
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1 t. instant coffee crystals
Dash of Tabasco

Pick over beans for pebbles and debris, then soak in a large Dutch oven in enough water to cover by two inches. Let sit overnight, 8 to 24 hours. Quick soak method: heat beans and water to boiling and boil two minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 1 hour. There is no need to drain the soaking water before moving on to the rest of the recipe.
Bring beans to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Scatter beans in a 3- or 4-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Pour in enough cooking liquid to come about halfway up the beans. Add all other ingredients and stir.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees, stirring about once an hour, for 3 hours, or you can cook in a slow cooker on high for the same amount of time. I like to taste-test the mixture around halfway through (when I am reasonably confident the bacon is a safe temperature). The flavor will concentrate somewhat in the last half of baking, but if it seems bland, now's the time to adjust flavorings. After the three hour point, uncover the dish (if baking) and cook another 30 minutes until surface is somewhat dry.
Enjoy your yummy, healthy, inexpensive, eco-conscious dish!

Variations
This dish takes so well to improvising. Add a couple of cloves of diced garlic if you want. Got some leftover tomato sauce or paste? Throw it in! Like it spicier? Add prepared yellow mustard or Sriracha sauce. Sweeter? Add more molasses, agave, or maple syrup. Spices such as cayenne, ancho chili powder or smoked paprika can work, too: when in doubt, start with a small quantity and build it up if it suits you. That 1 1/2 to 3 hour point is your time to fiddle.
If you want to make this vegan, do *not* substitute the bacon with a soy product; most of those are fragile constructs and will not hold up under three hours of baking. Instead, get smoky flavor from a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke, or use 1/2 t. smoked paprika. Turbinado, muscovado, or unrefined sugar can stand in for the brown sugar, and the other ingredients are vegan-approved.