Traditional Style New England Baked Beans...Foodie Friday Recipe

We recently held a small group bar-b-que pot luck dinner here at our temporary quarters.  What's a girl from Connecticut going to bring?  I firmly believe in doing what you know best.  I volunteered for traditional New England style baked beans.  Below is the recipe I've been using for almost 40 years.  Even people who profess to dislike baked beans, formerly me, love these beans! 

New England Style Baked Beans

Ingredients

1 pound (2 cups dry baby lima beans (or navy beans or big limas, your choice, I prefer the size of the baby limas)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard ( can use 3 tsp (1 TBSP) preparded mustard)

1/2 cup molasses

2 small or 1 large hamhock, country ham trimmings, OR 1/2 lb salt pork or bacon, uncooked (I really do highly recommend the hocks if you can get them).  If using bacon, I would dice it and fry lightly then drain on papertowels before adding.

1 large onion sliced

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Rinse beans, add to 2 quarts cold water, bring to boil, simmer 2 minutes, remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add 1/2 tsp salt to bean water , cover and simmer until tender...1 hour or so. Drain, reserving liquid.

Measure 2 cups of the liquid into a bowl, add water if needed. Mix with sugar, molasses and mustard.

In oven proof pot or large casserole combine beans, onion and whichever meat you choose. Pour sugar bean liquid over.

Cover tightly and bake at 300 for about 5 hours (mine always takes less because of the convection oven). Check beans often and add liquid if needed. The low oven temperature and the slow cooking are the key. You could probably use a crock pot BUT I don't think the meat would cook as nicely as a dry oven. If you've ever picked a ham hock, you'll know what I mean. It's one of life's magical experiences, even for a Yankee girl like me!