Step 1

Soak beans by a method listed here. Pick and rinse beans. Add 4 cups of cold water, cover, heat to boiling, simmer 30 minutes. Drain keeping liquid. Place sliced onion in bottom of 6 cup (1.5 L) casserole. Mix seasonings, and turn into pot. Add beans, and hot liquid or water to cover. Arrange pork slices on top. Cover and bake in slow oven 250 F (135 C) for seven hours. At end of four hours, remove one cup of beans, mash, then stir back into remaining beans carefully. Cover and continue to bake. Add liquid several times to keep beans just covered. One hour before serving, remove cover to allow salt pork to brown.

Step 2

*Vegetarian Alternative: Omit salt pork or bacon