Rinse the beans and pick them over. Discard any malformed or damaged beans and look for small pebbles.

Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. If you prefer an overnight soak, skip the 2-minute boil and soak the beans overnight.

If necessary, add more water to cover the beans and place them back over medium heat. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender. Avoid boiling the beans.

Drain the liquids into a bowl and set them aside.

Heat the oven to 300 F.

In a 3-quart casserole or bean pot, layer the beans with the onions, salt pork, and bacon pieces.

In a medium bowl, combine the molasses, salt, mustard, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the reserved liquids to the molasses mixture and stir; pour over the beans. Add enough of the remaining reserved liquid to almost cover the beans. If you don't have enough reserved liquid, you can use water.

Cover tightly and bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, removing the cover after 2 hours.

If the beans appear dry, stir and add a bit of liquid if necessary.

Serve and enjoy!