Yankee Beans

Ingredients

• 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 0.5 pound bacon diced
• 1  bay leaf 
• 1 teaspoon canola oil 
• 1 pound cannellini beans dried
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1  ham bone with some meat
• 0.3 cup maple syrup pure
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard 
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 dash pepper sauce hot to taste
• 1 pinch pepper flakes red
• 12 servings salt and pepper to taste
• 0.3 cup tomato purée 
• 3 cups water boiling or as needed
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• frying pan
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and bacon, and cook until onions are tender and golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and cook for a minute to blend flavors.
4. Place the soaked beans in a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion and bacon mixture, maple syrup, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder. Bury the ham bone in the beans, and fill the slow cooker with enough hot water to cover the beans.
5. Add bay leaves to the top.
6. Cover and cook for 5 hours on High, or 10 to 11 hours on Low.
7. Remove bay leaves, and season with vinegar, hot sauce, salt and pepper before serving.