Yankee Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried great Northern beans, soaked overnight
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ pound bacon, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1 ham bone with some meat
• 3 cups boiling water, or as needed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bacon, and cook until onions are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and cook for 1 minute to blend flavors.
2. Place soaked beans in a 3 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion and bacon mixture, maple syrup, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder. Bury the ham bone in the beans, and fill the slow cooker with enough hot water to cover the beans. Add bay leaf to the top.
3. Cover and cook for 5 hours on High, or 10 to 11 hours on Low. Remove bay leaf and season with vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper before serving.

Notes