Jacob’s Cattle Beans

Here is my favourite Baked-Bean Recipe passed to me from my parents who for years enjoyed growing, harvesting and eating their own organic baked-beans every fall.  They used to attend  local craft fairs and other market events to sell their excess harvest, and always sold-out their brightly speckled Jacob’s Cattle beans.  People would hunt them down just to get their baked-bean fix each year.  Dad and Mom painstakingly dried and hand shelled every bean, put them in pint-sized mason jars with a bit of ribbon and sold them with this recipe inside.  I am sharing it with you now.

• 2 cups Dry Beans
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper
• 5 T Molasses
• 5 T Mustard (regular or Dijon, or 3 T dry)
• 3 1/2 cups Tomato Juice
• 1/2 cup Water
• 3 T Lemon or Lime Juice

In a large pot, cover dry beans with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat and cook till tender. (2 hours) add water as needed.
Drain cooked beans and combine with all other ingredients in a large casserole dish or roasting pan. Cover and bake in 300 degree oven for 2 hours. Check every 1/2 hour and add water or more tomato juice if needed.
I suppose this could be done in the slow cooker as well, times will be different.