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Baked Beans

1# dry navy beans
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Med. Onion diced
1 T dry mustard
1/3 cup Ketchup
2 T white sugar
2 T brown sugar
½ Cup Molasses
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Soak beans over night. Rinse and add water to cover and the baking soda. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 min or just until the beans start to crack. (this step is supposed to reduce the flatulence usually associated with beans). Skim off the foam during the simmer. Drain and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir and add water to just cover and place in a casserole or bean pot. Cover and bake. Start at 325 and reduce to 250 as soon as they begin to bubble. Bake for 5 – 6 hours. Check occasionally and add water as necessary. They are much better the next day.

I like my baked beans really sweet. Those don't seem like they would be very sweet?? Although I've never really cooked with molasses before--is it really sweet??

Carol, This recipe is very similar to Deb's recipe...
Molasses is pretty sweet, but not as sweet as white or brown sugar...
just taste the sauce before cooking to see if it is sweet enough for you...
If not, add more molasses or brown sugar... the addition of real maple syrup is tasty also...
Molasses gives it a more traditional/smokey taste...
if you are going to add more sweet, do it in small amounts (like 1 tbsp at a time) and keep re-tasting...
as it is easy to make it overpoweringly sweet before you know it!
Dark Corn Syrup is also another option for sweetening and having a smokey taste... although not as good as Molasses IMO...

I personally like to add some diced, cooked salt pork (or chopped thick sliced bacon) cooked to just before it becomes crispy, too...

OK, thanks!

Carol, it comes out fairly sweet, but not like candy. Remember the ketchup has a lot of sweetness too. Adding bacon to the top is a nice addition, but adds fat too. I think a splash of bourbon might be an improvement.

Ah, agreed, bourbon is almost always an improvement! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Bourbon, YES!
Deb doesn't use fresh beans in her's, but canned Grandma Brown's Baked Beans...
(we have found them at WALMART, of all places(?), here in NJ... they are carried in most supermarkets in the Adirondacks)...
and she just adds her extras to that...
IMO they are better than B&M and Bush's baked beans...