The secret of delicious baked beans is to keep them covered with water at all times except during the last hour of baking.

2-quart bean pot
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 pounds white pea beans
4 teaspoons salt
1 pound fat salt pork
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 medium size onion
2/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Soak beans overnight in water.

In the morning, rinse the beans and cover with fresh water that you have added 1 teaspoon of baking soda and parboil them for 10 minutes.

Run cold water through the beans in a colander or strainer. Score salt pork into 1- inch squares, then cut in. Put 1/2 of the salt pork on the bottom of the bean pot with whole peeled onion. Put beans in the pot and put the rest of the salt pork on top.

Mix other ingredients with boiling water and pour over beans. Bake in preheated 250 degree F oven for 8 hours. Keep adding water as necessary to keep the beans moist, but be sure not to flood the beans. Do not cover.

Serves 8 to 10.