Easy Slow-Cooker Baked Beans Recipe

"Baked beans are comforting, satisfying, and a great side to grilled or barbecued meats. While they’re usually baked in the oven, it’s even easier to throw everything in the slow cooker instead. Smoky bacon, navy beans, onion, and a few sweet ingredients like molasses, ketchup, and brown sugar are stirred together and slow-cooked until the beans are tender and the sauce thickens. The beans taste better the longer they sit, so make them a day or two ahead or freeze for later. What to buy: There are various intensities of molasses available, from light to blackstrap. Dark (sometimes marketed as robust) tastes best in this recipe. Molasses can be found in the baking aisle at grocery stores. Game plan: Be sure to soak the beans the night before you plan on making the recipe. We tested this dish cooking the beans for 6 hours on both high and low settings, with excellent results for both. The beans can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating over low heat. Click here to watch the CHOW Test Kitchen’s Christine Gallary make these easy slow-cooker baked beans in our Easiest Way video series...."