Maple Apple Baked Beans with Apple Sausage

Maple Apple Baked Beans with Apple Sausage

Do they still sell canned beans and wieners? I don't think I've seen them since I was a kid and to be honest, apart from canned tomatoes or beans, there is very little caned food that actually comes into our house, so I'm not well acquainted with the canned food aisle. I do remember eating them for lunch all the time as a kid and that thought inspired this much more flavorful version using some delicious apple sausage and  beans baked in an apple infused sauce. The result was very tasty indeed and we enjoyed these with some great artisan crusty bread from Georgestown Bakery around the corner.

I was lucky enough to find some low fat turkey sausage for this recipe to keep it in the healthier range. I precooked the sausages in the oven first before adding them to the beans in the last half hour or so of cooking time. This allowed the sausages to impart some of their spicy flavor without falling apart into the beans...although that doesn't sound too bad either. Freshly baked cornbread or Buttermilk Biscuits are also terrific with these baked beans.

Begin by soaking in water overnight or up to 48 hours:

• 1 1/2 pounds dry white beans

Saute together until softened but not browned:

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Cook until the onions and garlic are softened, then add along with the drained soaked beans to an oven safe dutch oven or roaster and:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• one 28 ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp dry mustard powder
• 4 large apples, peeled, cored and diced (Softer fleshed apples like Macintosh are good, not crisp type apples like Granny Smiths. Use one you would use to make applesauce.)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Stir all together well, cover and place in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 4 hours
stirring occasionally. The beans should be fully cooked and tender and the sauce
should thicken. I sometimes add a little extra boiling water during the cooking time if
the sauce thickens too quickly before the beans are fully cooked. This is not a problem
at all and can be done more than once if necessary.

Roast or pan fry to fully cooked:

• 1 1/2 pounds low-fat apple sausage

Slice the sausages into coins and add them to the baked beans in the last 30-60 minutes of cooking time for the beans.