Pete’s Super Baked Beans
This is my brother’s recipe.
3 cups dry beans - navy or navy and pinto mixed
1 large onion - left whole
6 whole cloves
3 tsp salt
2/3 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup dark brown sugar - packed
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp vinegar
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or less depending on how hot you like your beans)
1 bay leaf
1/4 to 1/2 pound of slab bacon - smoked if possible - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup beer
Let beans soak for 24 hours in a large pot using 3 cups water for each 1 cup of dry beans. Drain beans and put in fresh water to cover generously and the onion which has been studded with the 6 cloves. Bring beans to boil and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove the onion, remove the 6 cloves and throw them away. Chop the cooked onion. Add to the beans: the chopped onion, salt, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, pepper, vinegar, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, cubed bacon, 1/2 cup beer and 2 1/2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Pour all into a 3 to 4 quart casserole, cover and bake at 275 degrees for 7 to 8 hours. Keep an eye on the liquid. If it seems to be too dry, add more reserved cooking liquid.