By Rick Gorski
• 454 grams (1 pound) – 2 cups of Navy Beans or White Pea Beans
• 5 cups cold water
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• ½ tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon prepared mustard
• ¼ cup of molasses
• ½ cup tomato ketchup
• Pinch black pepper
• (optional ½ pound peameal bacon sliced and cut into pieces of about an inch square)
- Rinse Beans with Cold Water.
- Soak Beans Overnight in Cold Water.
- Drain.
- Add 5 cups cold water to drained beans in a pot, cover, heat to boiling, then simmer 30 minutes or until nearly tender (beans will not become any softer once placed into oven).
- Drain when cooked, then put beans back into the pot.
- Place onion slices on bottom of 6 cup flameproof casserole dish.
- Add remaining 7 ingredients in with the beans in the pot, stirring gently to combine, then pour the entire mixture into the casserole dish.
- Add enough water to cover the mixture (then place optional peameal bacon pieces on top).
- Cover with lid and bake in oven at 250’F for 7 hours (you may want to monitor & turn down to 225’F)
- When beans are tender, remove 1 cup of beans, mash, then stir back into casserole dish carefully.
- Cover and continue to bake.
- Add water as needed to keep beans covered.
- One hour before serving, remove cover to darken the beans.
- Salt to taste.
Serves 8.