| 1 | Pick over beans and rinse. |
| 2 | Place in a large bowl; add water to cover. |
| 3 | Let stand overnight; drain. |
| 4 | Combine beans and onions in a large saucepan; add water to cover; heat to boiling; cover. |
| 5 | Simmer 45 minutes, or until skins of beans burst when you blow on several in a spoon. |
| 6 | Drain liquid into a small bowl. |
| 7 | Measure 1 cup of the bean liquid and combine with molasses, mustard, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. |
| 8 | Layer half of the salt pork and all of the beans into an 8 cup bean pot. |
| 9 | Pour molasses mixture overtop; add just enough more saved liquid to cover beans. |
| 10 | Top with remaining salt pork, pressing down into liquid; cover. |
| 11 | Bake at 300f 4 hours; uncover. |
| 12 | Bake 1 hour longer, or until beans are deep brown, tender, and as dry as you like them. |
| 13 | (after 2 hours baking, check beans, and if they seem dry, add more saved bean liquid to keep them moist). |
| 14 | Recipe by : the little mountain bean bible cookbook |
