Baked Beans Ala Carolyn

This is my own recipe for beans done the old-fashioned way, based on the recipe that my mother used for my years growing up. She always used molasses, but based on stories my father told of eating in woods camps in Maine (he was a Border Patrol Officer) I switched to maple syrup. They are on the sweet side, as that is how my family prefers them.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb  great northern dry  beans
• 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
• 1⁄4 cup catsup
• 1  teaspoon salt (the original recipe called for 1 tablespoon( we like less)
• 1  teaspoon dry mustard
• 1  teaspoon vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1  onion, medium size
• 1⁄4 lb bacon

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight--be sure water is around 2 inches above beans--they will expand overnight.
2. Parboil beans in a.m. around an hour and 15 minutes--the skins at that point should "blow back" when gently blown on.
3. Quarter onion.
4. Cut bacon in 2 inch pieces.
5. Mix remainder of ingredients together.
6. Place beans in bean pot, or if you don't have one, in an ovenproof baking dish. Put onions and bacon on top. Pour rest of ingredients over beans. Add enough of the bean cooking liquid to cover the beans about 1/2 inch (to allow for evaporation during cooking). Cover.
7. Place in 300 oven, and bake for around 4 hours. Check for liquid and doneness at 3 hours--if liquid seems to be cooking down below beans, add enough to just cover. Continue cooking until done.