Yankee Beans - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound dried great Northern beans, soaked overnight
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 ham bone with some meat
3 cups boiling water, or as needed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bacon, and cook until onions are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and cook for a minute to blend flavors.
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. Add bay leaves to the top.
Cover and cook for 5 hours on High, or 10 to 11 hours on Low. Remove bay leaves, and season with vinegar, hot sauce, salt and pepper before serving.