Preparation:
combine beans and baking soda with 4 quarts water in a dutch oven, over a moderate flame heat to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, drain, rinse, and drain well place onion in the bottom of a large casserole or dutch oven add half of the diced bacon add beans and top with remaining bacon combine sugar, molasses, mustard, salt, and pepper-mix well pour evenly over beans add enough water to barely cover, do not stir bake @ 300 degrees for 2 hours, stir bake @ 300 degrees for 2 hours, adding water only as needed bake @ 300 degrees for a total of 6 hours serve hot |