During the final hour or so, when the beans have become supremely tender and, hopefully, just a few are breaking apart, you’ll want to let the liquid recede without topping it up—remember, the goal isn’t bean-y broth, it’s saucy beans. With all that pork fat and cooking liquid, your finished beans may still look a little greasy and brothy at first. A good stir should help emulsify the pork fat, whip up some of the free bean starch, and form a nice glaze. If the beans are too dry, add some hot water—or leftover bean-cooking water, if you still have some—until they’re just saucy enough. If they’re too wet and you’re tired of waiting for them to finish in the oven, you can always bring the pot (assuming you’re using a pot) to a simmer on the stovetop to reduce the liquid a little, though this was not a situation I ever ran into while testing.
