Boston Baked Beans

You can substitute ham or bacon for the salt pork.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pea beans, washed and sorted
• 2 qts. cold water (about)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. powdered mustard
• 3 TBS. dark brown sugar
• 3 TBS. molasses
• 1 med-size yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 (1/4-pound) piece of salt pork

Directions

Soak beans overnight in 1 quart water OR use quick method: (Allow 1 quart of cold water for 1 lb. of beans. Place beans and water in large kettle, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to moderate and let beans boil gently 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand one hour with the lid on.) AFTER SOAKING OVER NIGHT OR USING THE QUICK METHOD :
Drain, measure soaking water, and add cold water to make 1 quart. Place beans in a large kettle, add the water and cover, simmer, stirring occasionally 1 hour. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking water. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place beans in an ungreased 2-quart bean pot. Mix reserved cooking water with salt, mustard, sugar and molasses and stir into beans; add onion if you like. Score rind of salt pork at 1/2" intervals, then push into beans so only the rind shows. Cover and bake 1 hour; reduce temperature to 250 degrees F. and bake 4 hours; uncover pot and bake 1 hour longer. Stir about every hour and serve bubbling hot from the pot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Doubleday Cookbook
Submitted By: tc c
tcluvs@icqmail.com
Boston Baked Beans