Boston Baked Beans in Bean Pot - Durgin-Park

By á-58

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried navy beans (see NOTE)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 lb salt pork
• 1/2 medium onion (peeled and uncut)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Details

Servings 7
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 390mins

Preparation

Step 1

1 NOTE: Use navy beans, California pea beans, or small white beans.

2 Soak beans overnight.

3 In the morning, preheat oven to 325°F Place the baking soda in a Dutch oven and fill half way with water.

4 Bring to a boil, add the beans & boil for 10 minutes.

5 Drain beans in a colander and run cold water through them. Set aside.

6 Dice the salt pork (available in the bacon section of the grocery store)into 1-inch squares.

7 Put half of the salt pork on the bottom of the bean pot, along with the onion.

8 Put beans in the pot.

9 Put the remaining salt pork on top of the beans.

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

11 Cover pot with lid and place the pot into the preheated oven.

12 Bake for 6 hours.

13 Check pot periodically to make sure the amount of liquid is okay.

14 Add water to the beans slowly as needed to keep them moist; DO NOT FLOOD THEM. Just "top them up".

15 Remove the pot from the oven and serve.

16 NOTE: The Durgin-Park, a Boston restaurant whose origins date back to the American Revolution, is famous 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.

17 Durgin-Park serves 1,000 diners on an average Saturday evening. The waitresses have a reputation for their long memories: the second time you come in, you get the same thing you ordered the first time--unless you speak fast.