Hi~ Recent requests for Crockpot Baked Beans urged me to look up my good old authentic (non-crockpot) recipe for real Boston Baked Beans. Thought I'd share it with our 'purist' cooks here.

Durgin-Park Restaurant's (Original)

Boston Baked Beans

1 2-1/2 qt. bean pot or covered Dutch oven
1 pound beans *
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 pound salt pork
1/2 medium onion -- peeled and uncut
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper


* Use California pea beans or small white beans.

Soak beans overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 325° F.

Place the baking soda in a Dutch oven and fill half way with water.

Bring to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 10 minutes.
Drain beans in a colander and run cold water through them.
Set aside.

Dice the salt pork (available in the bacon section of the grocery store) into 1-inch squares. Put half of the salt pork on the bottom of the bean pot, along with the onion. Put beans in the pot. Put the remaining salt pork on top of the beans.

Mix the sugar, molasses, mustard, salt and pepper with 3 cups of hot water and pour over the beans.

Cover pot with lid and place the pot into the preheated oven. Bake for 6 hours. Check pot periodically to check the amount of liquid. Add water to the beans slowly as needed to keep them moist; do not flood them. Remove the pot from the oven and serve. Makes about 7 cups.

NOTE: The "Durgin-Park", a famous Boston restaurant whose origins date back to the American Revolution, is known for its Boston baked beans, baked Indian pudding and apple pan dowdy. Durgin-Park cook Tommy Ryan has prepared this recipe at the restaurant for the past 37 years.
~carol in SoCal

http://www.nancyskitchen.com