Baked Beans (Mum’s)
The night before put 2 cups beans in a bowl, rinse well – put into a large bowl with 12 cups water and leave to soak over night. In the morning drain and reserve liquid. Put beans in a saucepan, just cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for ½ hour. Drain off a spoonful and blow on beans – when skins wrinkle take them off the heat and cover. Drop a small peeled onion into your bean pot and strain off the bean water. Spoon beans into the pot pushing the onion down to keep it at the bottom.
- In a bowl prepare
- 1/3-cup brown sugar
- 1-tablespoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup black molasses
- 1/4-cup maple sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
Boil up beans steeping water for mixing up the seasonings, adding just enough to make if flow nicely. Push thick slices of salt pork (about 4 ounces is good cut in lengths) (don’t use for vegetarian) down into the beans and when can’t get any more in, pour in the mix adding boiling steeped water to the mixing bowl whisking to get all the seasoning. Keep pouring into pot until the liquid level is just above the beans. Tightly seal pot with foil allowing slack in mouth so that lid can be pressed down tight as an extra seal. Crimp foil carefully around neck. Put in oven – 250 for 8 hours (if more convenient - 12 hours at 200). Checking from time to time to see if necessary to top beans with steeped bean water – keep topped with water. Take foil off for final 30 minutes to brown. .
- Serve with Steamed Brown Bread (see above)