The Community Table Project is about sharing signature recipes from everyday folks, and creating a sense of community around food. If you make a signature dish you think is great, send me an email at baconhound@gmail.com and let’s talk!
Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you…well, you know. Its this magical quality about beans that makes them a rarity in our house. I love to eat them…the after-effects? Not so much. So when Jacquie told me about her Grand-Maman’s baked bean recipe, I knew this was my chance to indulge!
The Cook:
Jacquie DuVal.
Jacquie is the writer behind the popular local food blog Parkallen Home Kitchen. She has recently began a quest to connect with her French Canadian roots, which includes teaching her infant daughter French.
The Dish:
French Canadian Baked Beans.
More than just beans, the secret to this recipe is maple syrup and an old bean pot. Jacquie has fond memories of eating these beans when she would visit her Grand-maman and knew she needed to recreate the recipe herself. This dish is traditionally served with bread, and is often eaten for breakfast with bacon.
The Story:
Jacquie’s Grand-maman was born and raised in small-town Quebec, and was the only girl in a family of five. She learned to cook out of necessity when their parents died when she was 15. These baked beans became a quick and easy, yet hearty meal to cook for her siblings, and later for her 19 grandchildren.
Grand-maman never passed down this recipe to anyone in the family–it was kept as a special treat when they went to visit–but she did give Jacquie the bean pot that she used when she made them. Jacquie has since made it her mission to recreate one of her favourite dishes form her Grand-maman for her own new family.
The Recipe:
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- 1 lb bag dried white navy beans
- 1 lb bacon thick cut
- 2 medium onions
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp dried mustard
- 6 cups water
- 1.5 tsp salt to taste
Ingredients
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- Soak beans overnight in a large bowl with water.
- In the morning, slice bacon and fry in a pan. Dice onions.
- Combine maple syrup and dried mustard, and add to a crockpot. Add bacon, onions and beans and water.(You can make ahead by combining cooked bacon, onions, syrup and mustard in a large tupperware in the fridge and add beans and water to crockpot in the AM.)
- Stir to combine and cook on low for 10 hours. Once beans are cooked, add salt to taste.
- Serve with a slice of homemade bread, or for breakfast with a fried egg on top. Enjoy, with classic memories of Francophone Canada!
To cook in a bean pot:
Preheat oven to 350 while preparing your ingredients. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 200 and cook for a total of 8 hours. Check and stir occasionally, and add more water if needed.
Tips and Tricks:
- Jacquie prefers to use a package of bacon ends from Irvings Farm
Big thanks to Kunitz Shoes and The Italian Centre Shop for coming on board and sponsoring The Community Table Project. The support of strong community-minded companies like these help make content like this possible, so go see Kunitz Shoes next time you’re in need of quality shoes and cool socks, and The Italian Centre Shop for everything you need to make these recipes at home.
Baconhound is an Edmonton food blog, focusing on the best restaurants and dishes in Edmonton and beyond. Phil Wilson is a food writer and also the host of the Canadian food podcast, Off Menu. Find it in the iTunes store and on Stitcher.