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Substitute salt pork for bacon. Add extra spice for zest! Experiment with your liquid ingredients.
Baked beans have a long and storied history - Native Americans cooked dishes resembling modern baked beans in New England before the arrival of European colonists. Early baked bean recipes in the United States often used salt pork - then a commonly-used ingredient - instead of bacon. Salt pork, like bacon, is derived from the fatty portions of the pig. To give your baked beans an old-fashioned touch, prepare your salt pork by briefly boiling it to remove some of its salt, then fry in a pan until crispy, like bacon. Next, simply substitute your salt pork for bacon! For a truly authentic Native American baked bean dish, use dear (or even bear) instead of pork products and use maple syrup instead of molasses. One great way to give your baked beans a good "kick" is to chop up a jalapeno pepper or two when sauteing your onions and bell peppers. If you're especially adventurous, you can even add dried pepper or a super-spicy hot sauce to the baked beans as they simmer in the frying pan. Be warned - not everyone can handle the extra heat. Modify your "sauce" to suit your tastes. If you don't like barbecue sauce, try substituting ketchup! You can use Worcestershire sauce to modify (or replace) mustard. Also try adding a dash of your favorite spice - a little cinnamon, for instance, can fantastically compliment the sweetness of standard baked beans for a subtle "Autumn" flavor. Your sauce is limited only by your imagination - make your own special recipe and share it with your friends!