Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients:
16 ounces (2 cups) dry navy beans
2 quarts cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 ounces salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped

Preparing the beans for baking:

Method #1:
Rinse beans; add to water in saucepan. Bring to boiling and simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Discard water.

Method #2:
Rinse beans, cover with cold water by at least 2 inches, leave to soak 8 hours or overnight. Discard water, rinse beans.

Preparing the baked beans:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Add water (2 quarts) to pot with the drained beans and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid.

Measure 2 cups of the reserved liquid (adding boiling water if needed) and mix with molasses, brown sugar, and mustard.

Cut salt pork in half. Score one half and grind or thinly slice remainder. In 2-quart bean pot or casserole, combine beans, onion and ground salt pork. Pour molasses mixture over. Top with scored pork. Cover and bake for 5 to 7 hours, adding more liquid if needed. Add salt before serving.

Serves 8