Jamaican Baked Beans

Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 cups pea beans, dried
• 1 quart water
• 3/4 lb salt lamb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 1 pinch thyme

Recipe

• 1 soak the dry beans in the first measure of water overnight.
• 2 stud the onion with the whole cloves.
• 3 soak the salt lamb in water to cover for 2 hours.
• 4 drain the beans. place them in a large kettle. add water to reach 2" above the beans. add the salt. bring to a boil.
• 5 lower the heat. simmer until the beans are barely tender (30-40 minutes). drain well.
• 6 preheat the oven to 250x.
• 7 place the clove-studded onion in the center of an earthenware casserole. cover with half the beans (form a layer). add half the salt lamb (in a layer). add the remaining beans (in a layer). top with the remaining salt lamb (in a layer).
• 8 combine the sugar, rum, mustard, pepper and thyme. add to the beans.
• 9 add boiling water to barely cover. cover the casserole tightly.
• 10 bake until tender (4-5 hours), adding boiling water as needed to keep the beans moist. uncover.
• 11 cook 30 minutes longer - do not add any more water. serve hot.