Charlene's Recipe

Baked Beans

Category: side dish

Serves 6-8

1 lb. dry navy or soldier beans
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large white onion, quartered
1/4 lb. salt pork or slab bacon, cut into 1 *1/2-inch chunks

Place the beans in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover by three inches. Let stand at least 10 hours. Drain and transfer to a large saucepan. Add just enough water to cover. Let simmer, adjusting the water level so the beans remain just covered, until the skins open readily, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, whisk together the molasses, vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Drain the beans. Place the onion in a 2-quart Dutch oven. Add the beans. Cover with the salt pork or bacon. Cover with the molasses mixture. Heat oven to 300° F. Cover Dutch oven and bake, checking often, until the beans are tender, the meat is falling apart, and the liquid is thick and bubbly, about 6 hours. Add more water (or even a second batch of the molasses mixture) if the beans start to dry out. Serve with buttered bread.

Nutritional Facts:
Calcium: 155 mg
Calories: 446 g
Calories from Fat: 29 %
Carbohydrate: 68 g
Cholesterol: 14 mg
Fat: 14 g
Fiber: 16 g
Iron: 5 mg
Protein: 13 mg
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Sodium: 243 mg