Ingredients
4 cups dried navy or pea beans
2 whole cloves
1 onion
1 tsp baking soda
500 g slab bacon, (rind removed) cut in 6 mm cubes
1½ cups dark molasses (not blackstrap)
2 tsp ground mustard
2 tbsp salt
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
2 tbsp dark rum
Directions
Place the beans in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 8 cm and soak overnight.
Heat the oven to 135°C and place a rack in the lower third.
Drain the beans, place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and add cold water to cover by 2 cm. Press the cloves into the onion and add the onion and baking soda to the pot then stir to combine.
On the stovetop, bring the beans just to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, skim off the foam and simmer for 15 minutes. Add SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste and the remaining ingredients then stir until combined.
Place the pot in the oven and bake slowly until the beans are tender, 5-6 hours. Add a little water if necessary. Allow the top of the beans to crust slightly during the final 30 minutes of baking. Serve hot.
