Preparation

• Soak the beans overnight, then drain them.
  450 g dried white beans (navy beans or other small white beans)
• The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C.
• In a large Dutch oven, dissolve the baking soda in enough water to come about halfway up the pot, then bring to a boil. Add the beans and boil for 10 minutes.
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Drain the beans, rinse them under cold water, and set them aside.
• Cut the salt pork into 2.5 cm cubes.
  225 g salt pork
• In a bean pot or an oven-safe Dutch oven, layer half of the salt pork on the bottom with the whole onion. Add the beans, then scatter the remaining salt pork over the top.
  1/2 medium onion
• Stir the sugar, molasses, dry mustard, salt, and pepper into the hot water, then pour the mixture over the beans.
  4 tablespoons sugar, 80 ml molasses, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 720 ml hot water
• Cover and bake for 6 hours at 160°C, checking the liquid level regularly and adding a little water as needed to keep the beans tender without flooding them.
• Remove from the oven and serve hot.