1Run the dried beans through a strainer and rinse them off, then pick through them to remove any dark or broken beans.
2Put the beans in a big bowl, cover them with water about 2 inches over the beans, and let them sit overnight, preferably covered.
3Prepare a spice pouch by putting thyme in a piece of cheesecloth and tying it up with a string. You can also add the bay leaf to the pouch or directly to the pot.
4Drain the soaked beans in a colander.
5Put the drained beans in a pot and add the bay leaf, spice pouch (if used), and a crushed garlic clove.
6Add water again, 2 inches over the beans, and some salt.
7Stir briefly to ensure the spice pouch gets wet and submerged.
8Turn the burner to high to bring the beans to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 45 to 70 minutes, or until the beans' skin splits when blown on and they are firm but not crunchy when squished.
9Once the beans are cooked, turn off the burner and dump the beans and water into a strainer, setting the beans aside.
10Cut the salt pork into small pieces if it's not already sliced.
11Cover the salt pork with water in a separate pot and boil for 2 minutes to remove excess salt.
12While the salt pork is boiling, place the remaining salt pork pieces in a cold pan and set the burner to medium-high.
13Sauté the salt pork for 6 to 8 minutes, turning the heat down to low to render the fat and lightly brown the pieces until crispy.
14Remove the boiled salt pork from the water and discard the water.
15Once the sautéed salt pork is crispy, remove it from the pan and set aside on a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
16Add onions to the pan with the salt pork fat and sauté them on low until softened.
17In a separate bowl, add a little water to dry mustard and stir to bloom it, then let it sit.
18Remove the spice pouch and bay leaf from the drained beans.
19Take 1 cup of the bean water and set aside.
20In a mixing container, combine the hot bean water, brown sugar, molasses, pepper, salt, and the bloomed mustard, stirring until well combined.
21Taste the liquid to ensure a forward molasses flavor.
22In a bean pot, place about half of the sautéed onion mixture at the bottom.
23Add the cooked beans to the pot, then add the rest of the onion mixture, stirring the top layer to mix it in.
24Give the prepared liquid another stir and pour it all over the beans, stirring gently to mix it in without going all the way to the bottom.
25Add more of the reserved bean water until the beans are just barely covered.
26Place the piece of salt pork on top of the beans and gently push it in until it's about halfway down.
27Cover the bean pot with its top.
28Place the pot in a 275°F oven and cook for 4.5 to 6 hours.
29Check the water height every hour during cooking; if more water is needed, pull the pot to the sides and let it seep down without stirring.
Ingredients
dried beans
2 inches over beans water
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, crushed
thyme
salt
salt pork
onions
dry mustard
1 cup bean water
brown sugar
molasses
pepper
Equipment
strainerbig bowlcheeseclothstringcolanderpotknifepanplatemixing containerbean pot
Tips
Cover beans when soaking overnight to prevent anything from falling into them.
Use cheesecloth to make a spice bag for thyme and bay leaf to easily remove them after cooking.
For garlic, smash it with a knife or cut it up to ensure it falls apart during cooking.
When beans are done boiling, their skin should split when blown on, and they should be firm but not crunchy when squished.
Boil salt pork for 2 minutes to remove excess salt.
Sauté salt pork on medium to medium-low heat to render the fat slowly and brown it lightly.
Bloom dry mustard with a little water to enhance its flavor and allow it to disperse better.
When preparing the juice, ensure a forward taste of molasses.
When filling the bean pot, you can layer half the onions, then beans, then the rest of the onions, or stir the top layer of onions into the beans.
Do not stir all the way to the bottom when adding the juice; just mix it in.
Gently push the piece of salt pork halfway down into the beans before baking.
Do not stir the beans in the oven; if more water is needed, pour it to the sides and let it seep down.