Recipes Baked Beans with Maple-Glazed Bacon 4.0 (389) 2 Reviews For a zippy version of a New England classic, Laurence Jossel bakes buttery Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye beans in a tangy-hot mixture of apple cider vinegar, molasses, brown sugar and crushed red pepper. Regular Italian cannellini or Great Northern beans can replace the Yellow Eyes.More Bean Recipes By Laurence Jossel Laurence Jossel South African-born Laurence Jossel is an award-winning chef from San Francisco, who has been at the top of the city's food scene for over two decades. He owns and operates Nopa, a critically acclaimed restaurant known for its Bay Area-trendsetting cocktail program, communal tables, and sustainable practices.Experience: At 14, Laurence Jossel began secretly working in a Los Angeles restaurant bussing tables and washing dishes instead of going to high school. His parents wisely enrolled him in culinary school in San Francisco four years later. Having found his true calling, Laurence spent two years working under Roland Passot at the famed La Folie before becoming Gary Danko's sous chef at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. He went on to open the Greco-California restaurant Kokkari in 1990, followed by neighborhood bistro Chez Nous in 2000, which was awarded three stars by the San Francisco Chronicle. He met his Nopa co-founders, Allyson Woodman and Jeff Hanak, while at Chow.The three partners set out in 2006 to create a gathering place and neighbor anchor in an area "North of the Panhandle," serving simple, hearty, accessible, perfectly executed food using seasonal locally sourced organic ingredients with a strong focus on sustainability. Inspired by the restaurant-worthy staff meals made by their cooks José Ramos and Gonzalo Guzman, they opened the popular Mexican eatery Nopalito in 2009 to showcase the pair's talents and culinary heritage. Laurence became the sole owner of Nopa in 2021 and continues to build the restaurant's 15-year legacy.Education: Laurence earned a degree in culinary arts at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Laurence also studied with Madeleine Kamman at the School for American Chefs at Beringer Winery in St. Helena. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 27, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 4 hrs Yield: 8 Ingredients 3 1/2 cups dried yellow eye or cannellini beans, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 2 hours and drained Kosher salt 9 thick slices of bacon (10 ounces), 1 slice cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Directions In a large pot, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 hours; add water as needed to keep the beans covered by 2 inches. Season the beans with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid. Transfer the beans to a large, deep baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook the bacon strips over moderate heat until the fat has rendered, 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, crushed red pepper, black pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt and simmer for 1 minute, until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the bacon-onion mixture over the beans and stir in the reserved bean cooking liquid. Cover the beans with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the maple syrup with the red wine vinegar and mustard. Arrange the remaining 8 bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet, and generously brush them with the maple syrup mixture. Bake the bacon in the same oven as the beans for about 15 minutes, basting 3 times and turning the bacon twice, until richly glazed. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Carefully pour 1/3 cup of water onto the baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 3 minutes to dissolve the caramelized syrup. Uncover the beans and carefully stir in the syrup. Bake the beans, uncovered, for about 20 minutes longer, until the liquid has reduced by about one-fourth. Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Top the beans with the glazed bacon and bake until browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Make Ahead The beans can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Reheat, covered, in a 350° oven before proceeding. Rate it Print