Grandmother Prather’s Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

My grandmother, Nellie Nelson Prather, was a terrific culinarian. She loved to “cook up” recipes and this is one she devised many, many years ago. These baked beans are so sweet and rich you might confuse them with eating dessert. The flavor that is created as the ingredients meld through baking together is special — I’ve never tasted any others that compare. CJK

Grandmother Prather’s Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

(Nellie Nelson Prather)

2 (15 oz.) cans pork and beans in tomato sauce*

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 tbsp. molasses

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

6 slices of raw bacon, chopped**

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole or small roaster.

Pour beans into casserole or roaster. Combine brown sugar, mustard, molasses, onion and ketchup in small bowl and mix in with beans. Mix in most of the bacon pieces with the beans and put the rest of them on top of the mixture.

Bake uncovered at 325°F for around 2 1/2 hours.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

A note from Carol: *As far as I know, Grandmother, Mom and I have always used VanCamp’s Pork and Beans for the recipe.

**Grandmother and Mom always added the bacon raw but I have started frying and draining it on paper towels first to reduce the amount of fat. (I think it’s better if it’s not fried to a crisp state — it stays softer during baking if it’s not crisp and that’s the texture I prefer.) I often mix all of the bacon in, instead of putting pieces on top because I like to stir the beans from time to time and then the bacon pieces get mixed in anyway.

P.S. Tomorrow FFF will feature this same recipe for serving 20-25 people.