Boston Baked Beans

This is not my recipe. This one comes from Gram Judkins who obviously knew a thing or two about beans. Not to put Grandma Serratore's beans down. Her's were great too. Hell, she practically lived in Boston. She did not, however, ever give me her recipe. Luckily, I married a guy whose Gram had a recipe that brings back the childhood memories of great beans, cooked in a stoneware pot, for hours. Thank you Gram Judkins for this great recipe. These can be served anytime. I love them with a big egg and bacon breakfast. A family favorite is, of course "Beanie Weenies" (with cut up hot dogs mixed in after cooking). Many people eat them with BBQ meals as a side dish and then there's the classic Big Ol' Plate of Beans with Brown Bread. No matter how you eat them, they are delicious. DISCLAIMER: The beans must soak overnight, so start these the night *before* you want to eat them. Some say it's unnecessary to ever soak beans, just boil them 20 minutes before using. (Mark Bittman, I'm looking at you. You are wrong in this case). Plan ahead. Take the time to soak. You won't be sorry.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Pick over beans for small stones, twigs, or other debris. Rinse and soak with baking soda over night.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius)

Step 3

Mix salt, sugar, molasses, and mustard in a small bowl. Layer beans, pork, and mixed ingredients in a bean pot (like a lasagne, maybe 2 - 3 layers). Put the onion in the middle. Cover pot and bake 3-4 hours.