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1
Add dried beans to heavy 6-quart saucepan; cover with 2 inches boiling water and let stand 2 to 3 hours.
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2
Discard any beans that float to surface.
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3
Add garlic, chopped onion,bay leaf and cloves to beans and mix well.
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4
Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
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5
Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until beans are tender, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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6
Meanwhile cook bacon in heavy nonaluminum 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until browned (but not crisp), about 10 minutes.
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7
Spoon off all but about 6 tablespoons fat.
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8
Add minced onion.
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9
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until onion is tender and translucent, about 20 minutes.
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10
Stir in sugar,garlic, 1/4 cup vinegar, mustard, salt,pepper and cloves.
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11
Remove saucepan or Dutch oven from heat.
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12
Remove beans from liquid using slotted spoon and add to bacon mixture, blending well.
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13
Taste and add more vinegar, if desired. If mixture appears dry,add several spoonfuls of bean liquid.
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14
Reserve about 2 cups of the bean liquid and refrigerate if not baking the beans right away.
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15
(Beans can be prepared ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated overnight.).
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16
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
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17
Bake beans, uncovered, about 4 or 5 hours, stirring every hour to prevent scorching and adding some reserved bean liquid if mixture appears dry; beans should be thick and carnelized.
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18
Let cool, cover and chill. (Can be refrigerated up to 2 days.).
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19
Reheat in 275 degree oven before serving.
