Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 6 oz salt pork or thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
• 1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• about 4 cups boiling water
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

Steps

1. Cover the soaked beans with fresh water in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer until the skins split when you blow on a few, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain. Heat the oven to 300°F.
2. Scatter half the salt pork in the bottom of a Dutch oven or bean pot. Add the onion halves and the beans, then top with the remaining salt pork.
3. Whisk the molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper with 2 cups of boiling water and pour over the beans. Add more boiling water just to cover.
4. Cover and bake 4 to 5 hours, checking every hour and adding a little boiling water if the beans start to look dry. (Or cook in a slow cooker on low 8 to 10 hours.)
5. Uncover for the last 45 minutes so the top browns and the liquid thickens. Stir in the vinegar, season to taste, and serve with brown bread.

TipHold off on extra salt until the end; salt pork varies a lot, and the sauce concentrates as it bakes.