Ingredients :

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Beans, small white or Great Northern 1 lb
Baking soda pinch
Onion chopped 1 ea
Molasses 1/2 cup
Sugar, brown 2 T
Mustard, dry 2 t
Salt 2 t
Pepper 1 t
Salt pork sliced 1/4" thick 1/4 lb

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Method :

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1. Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Place beans in a saucepan and cover with water and a pinch of baking soda. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the skins of the beans flake when you blow on them. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 275°. Mix the beans with the onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Place half the salt pork on bottom of a deep 2-quart casserole dish or bean pot. Add the beans and enough water to just barely cover. Place the remaining salt pork on the top of the beans. Cover the casserole or bean pot with a lid or aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 6-8 hours. Add water as needed to keep the beans just barely covered - about every hour or so. Do not stir.
5. Uncover for last 30 minutes to brown the salt pork and caramelize the beans. Serve.

Variations :

* Use bacon instead of salt pork if you like. Add a big hunk of ham. Or add a little ground cloves or ginger for a more complex flavor.
* Vermont or Canadian Maple Baked Beans: Use real maple syrup instead of molasses. A chopped apple is sometimes added, as is a little tomato product such as chopped tomatoes or ketchup. I prefer it without tomatoes. The maple flavor shines through.