Boston Baked Beans

Method

1. Take a heavy ovenproof pan with a lid or Dutch oven and add your beans, carrot, half onion, celery stick, 2 whole garlic cloves and salt. Fill with enough water to cover the beans by an inch.
2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 mins or until the beans are tender, but not overcooked.
3. Remove the carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Drain the beans, but keep all the cooking liquid.
4. Return the pan to the stove, add a very small amount of oil and heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat starts to render out. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is golden and bacon crisp. Add the mustard seed and cook for a further minute.
5. Add the molasses, beans and bay leaf to the pan, with enough of the bean cooking liquid to cover the beans. Bring to a simmer.
6. Cover with a lid and place in the oven at 160C for 3 hours. Check the beans every 30/ 45 mins and top up with enough liquid to keep the beans covered. Use the remainder of the cooking liquid, but once that runs out use boiling water.
7. In the final 30 mins allow the liquid to cook down into a thick sauce. You're looking for the beans to be tender, with most holding their shape, but a few falling apart.
8. Remove from the oven and season to taste with salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar. The beans are quite sweet so be generous with vinegar as this will balance the richness.