Boston Baked Beans

4 pounds white beans (northern or navy beans)
4 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and chopped
8 to 12 ounces raw bacon, chopped

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Or, bring them to a boil on the stove, turn heat off, cover and let sit for an hour or two.

After the initial preparation, boil beans on the back of the stove for about half an hour. They won't be perfectly soft, but they will be almost soft. Drain off the cooking water.

In a very large (8-quart) casserole combine the semi-cooked beans, salt, dry mustard, molasses, sugar, onion and bacon. Add enough hot water to barely come to the top of the beans. Put a lid on the casserole or use aluminum foil to cover it.

Bake the beans at 300 degrees F for about 5 to 7 hours.

CROCK POT METHOD: Boil the soaked beans for half an hour, as directed above. Then, instead of combining everything in a casserole, combine them in 2 crock pots instead. Put the lid on the crock pot, and cook on HIGH for about 3 or 4 hours, or on LOW for 6 or 8 hours.

Serves 32.