400g/14oz streaky bacon
500g/1lb 2oz white haricot beans, dried
50g/2oz dark brown sugar
45g/3 tbsp black treacle
1 tbsp English mustard
4 cloves
8-10 pickling onions (or 2-3 small onions)
fresh ground black pepper
salt
Method

1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of fresh cold water.
2. Drain and rinse, then put in a heavy, ovenproof pan or casserole, with fresh water to cover the beans by about 5cm/2in. Bring to the boil and boil hard for at least 10 minutes. Lower the heat to get a gentle simmer, cover with the pan lid, and simmer for about one hour until the beans are tender but not completely soft. Remove from the heat.
3. Cut the bacon in large 5cm/2in cubes, leaving the rind on and add to the beans. Stir in the brown sugar, black treacle and mustard.
4. Press each clove into an onion and add, with the extra onions, to the pot. Season with pepper, but no salt at this stage. If necessary, add a little hot water so that the beans are covered.
5. Replace the lid on the casserole. Bake the beans in a preheated slow oven at 140C/275F/Gas 1 for about 3 hours. Then remove the lid and dragging some of the pork chunks to the top. Return, uncovered, to the oven, for a further hour. Season.