Delicious homemade baked beans

Who doesn’t like baked beans? While the tinned version is nice enough, it’s got nothing on this amazing homemade recipe. Beans were a staple in so many households when we were kids and the flavours here sing with nostalgia. Smoked hock, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard all work together to make the most delicious sauce for the beans and once you’ve served it on a nice slice of thick toast there’ll be no going back to the tinned version! Yum!

Ingredients

• 300g mixed dried beans (such as haricot or navy, butter beans, borlotti and cannellini)
• 1 smoked hock (about 900g), skin and fat removed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 800g can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Place the beans in a bowl. Cover with cold water. Soak overnight. Drain.

2. Place beans and ham hock in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove ham hock. Drain beans, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

3. In the same saucepan, heat oil and cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes, reserved liquid, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup and mustard.

4. Cut meat from ham hock and finely shred. Add to pan with beans. Simmer for a further 30 minutes until thick and beans are tender. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve the baked beans with crusty toast and wilted spinach.