Baked Beans(Serves 175) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

10 lb. Northern beans
2 Tbsp. baking soda
1 c. bacon grease
1/2 c. dark molasses
3 Tbsp. salt
2 1/2 c. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar

Preparation

Sort and soak beans in cold water 3 times as much water as beans (soak overnight).
Do not change water, just pour off until 1 to 2 inches of water is left over beans.
Bring beans to rolling boil and scoop off scum.
Set kettle in sink.
Put 2 tablespoons baking soda in beans.
Empty water and rinse beans several times in water.
Cover beans with room temperature water level with beans or 1/2-inch above beans.
Add 1 cup bacon grease.
Boil until half tender, about 1/2 hour and no more.
Scoop out juice and save.
Add molasses, salt, sugar and brown sugar.
Bake in 2 stainless steel pans or Pyrex bowl.
Bake at 350\u00b0 until beans come to a boil.
Turn oven down to 300\u00b0.
Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
If cracking on top or too dry, add saved juice or a mixture of sugar and water.
Beans get thicker as they cool, so make an allowance for it.