Baked Pinto Beans

Wash beans, discarding imperfect ones. Cover with water; bring to the boiling point, boil 2 minutes, then soak overnight or 4 hours or more.

When ready to cook, without draining, cook slowly until the skins burst when you take of few on a spoon and blow on them. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Cover salt pork with boiling water. Let stand 2 minutes, remove from pot and cut 1-inch gashes across it about 1/2 inch apart without cutting through the rind. Return meat to pot and cook about 10 minutes. Add water if needed.

Put the beans in the bean pot. Push the pork down into the beans until all but the rind is covered. Mix remaining ingredients. Add 1 cup of the reserved water and bring to the boiling point. Pour over the beans and add enough more water to cover the beans.

Cover the bean pot. Bake 6 to 8 hours at 250 degrees F. Add water as needed to keep the beans moist. Uncover the last hour of baking so that the salt pork rind will be brown and crisp.