How to use salt pork in beans

I have a standard baked bean recipe I like to use. Basically soaked and boiled beans, onion, mustard, salt pepper and bacon/pork/ham - put in the oven for at least 4 hours.

I was thinking of putting some home cured salt pork in it. I used a 1/4 cup basic dried cure from the book Charcuterie, and 1/4 cup sea salt (no iodine) for one pound of pork. It's been curing covered in the fridge for almost 2 weeks now.

How do I use the salt pork to make beans? What do you think about washing it, cutting it into small cubes, blanching it, then adding it to the beans when they are ready to go in the oven?

trampledbygeese
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WileyP
WileyP January 27, 2013
I've never used homemade salt pork in my beans. Using store-bought salt pork, I trim any rind off, dice it up and throw it in with everything else. The cooking process melds that wonderful flavor throughout the beans and the salt pork itself nearly cooks away. Some folks would rather cut the pork into slices and lay them on top of the beans during the last hour or two of baking.
 
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