Boston Baked Beans

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 c small white beans
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 c dark molasses
• 1/2 lb salt pork or fatty bacon
• 2 onions

Soak the beans in cold water for 12-24 hours (put them in before you go to work on Friday). If you don’t soak them this long, or they’re a bit drier than usual, you may have to simmer them *just until* their skins start to burst. If you simmer them, save the bean water, as you can use it in the bean pot later.

Saturday morning, cut the onions in quarters and throw them into the bottom of a 2 quart bean pot. Add the drained beans. Disperse the salt pork chunks throughout the beans or put them on top. Mix all of the other ingredients with 2-4 c of hot water and dump it into the beans. Add enough water to cover the beans, and put the pot in an oven at 250 F.

Cook until dinner-time (6-8 hours), adding water as necessary and occasionally stirring up the beans. For the last hour or so you can leave the pot uncovered to get rid of some excess water.