1 pound of dried marrow beans or pinto beans soaked overnight.

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 onion minced or chopped finely

1 small diced red-hot pepper

1 bay leaf

¾ lb. salt pork, sliced or 1 lb. bacon pre-cooked

3 tablespoons molasses

¼ cup catsup

1 teaspoon dry mustard or Dijon’s style prepared mustard

½ teaspoon ginger

1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup packed brown sugar

Sort and wash the beans.  In a kettle, Dutch oven or pressure cooker, add 6 cups of water to the beans and bring to a boil. Boil about two minutes and let stand for one hour. Add first five ingredients, bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Drain, reserving 2 cups of liquid. To the liquid, add the remaining ingredients, except the sugar. Put the beans into a shallow baking dish or pan. Remove pork slices and arrange on top or use pre-cooked bacon pieces. Add the liquid. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, in a hot oven (400F) about 1 hour. This recipe makes six servings.

A small collector’s cookbook, from which this was taken, was labeled “Legumes” and was part of the Woman’s Day Kitchen series #165. These free recipes were monthly publications offered in Red Owl grocery stores across Minnesota during the early 1960’s.