Boston Baked Beans
Ingredients:
 | 2 to 3 quarts water |
| 2 lbs dried Great Northern,
navy, or other small dried bean |
| 1 large onion |
| 2 large onions, peeled and
studded with 2 whole cloves |
| 1 tsp plus 1 Tbs salt |
| 3/4 cups dark molasses |
| 3/4 cup dark brown sugar |
| 1 Tbs dry mustard |
| 1 tsp freshly ground black
pepper |
| 1/2 lb salt pork in one piece,
with rind left on |
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large pan over
high heat. Add the beans and boil for 2 minutes. Water should cover the
beans by at least 2 inches; add more if necessary.
Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour.
Add the peeled onion and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil again.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 1 to 2 hours,
until the beans are tender. The water should always cover the beans. Add
more water if necessary.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid, and pick out
and discard the onion. Add more water to the cooking liquid, if necessary,
to make 2 quarts.
In a deep bowl mix the molasses, 1/2 cup of the brown
sugar, the mustard, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper, the beans and the
reserved cooking liquid and stir gently to thoroughly combine all the
ingredients.
Place the clove studded onions in the bottom of a 4
to 5 quart oven-proof baking dish and pour the bean mixture over them.
Score the salt pork by cutting diagonal,
crisscrossing slits about 1/2 inch deep through the fatty side. Push the
salt pork into the beans.
Cover the pot tightly and bake in the middle of a 200F oven for 7 hours. Then remove the lid and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar evenly over the top and bake uncovered for an additional hour.