Boston Beans And Pork

• 2 cups cranberry, pinto, red, kidney or pink beans, rinsed and picked over
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or canola
• 1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (canned is fine)

1. Soak beans in water to cover for several hours, or combine them in a saucepan with cold water to cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Put oil in a large casserole or Dutch oven, and turn heat to medium-high.
4. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, while you trim pork of excess fat and cut it into 2-inch cubes.
5. When bacon is nicely browned, add pork, a bit at a time, and cook until nicely browned, sprinkling with salt and pepper as it cooks.
6. Add onions and garlic and cook until they soften a bit, then add remaining ingredients, including 2 teaspoons ground black pepper and drained beans.
7. Stir and barely cover with water.
8. Bring to a bare simmer on stove top, then cover and put in oven.
9. Cook for 2 hours, one with lid on, one with lid off.
10. Check occasionally, adding a splash of water if necessary.
11. When beans are done, check for seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
12. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven or over a low flame, or refrigerate and reheat when ready to serve.

cranberry, neutral oil, bacon, pork butt, salt, yellow onions, garlic, tomato paste, mustard, maple syrup, molasses, bay leaves, chicken broth

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6091 (may not work)