Just Beans Baked - white bean

Method

• Wash and pick over beans.
• Discard any stones, broken or misshaped beans.
• Do not soak beans.
• Put clean beans in a saucepan and cover with 2 inches cold water.
• Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
• Add salt pork and submerge in the beans.
• Continue to cook on low until beans are firm to bite but not crunchy - about 90 minutes.
• Add more water if necessary to keep beans covered.
• Strain beans and reserve the bean liquid.
• Put the beans in a covered deep 6 cup casserole or bean pot.
• Mix 1 cup of the bean liquid (add water if necessary) with the salt, pepper and molasses.
• Stir into beans gently.
• Score the salt pork into a 1/2 inch grid down to the rind.
• Place into the beans with only the rind exposed.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours covered.
• The beans will absorb all the liquid, but will not dry out if covered.
• Cut the salt pork off the rind and mix with the beans (or not) to serve.