Place the beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Set the beans aside to soak for 8 hours. Drain and rinse the beans and set them aside.
2 cups dried white kidney beans
When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°F
Place a large braiser or dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel. Set the bacon aside to drain. Add the onion to the pan along with a sprinkle of salt and saute until just translucent.
6 strips thick-cut bacon, 1 large yellow onion
Add the beans, squash, molasses, vinegar, mustard, and half of the bacon to the onions. Cover with boiling water. Add enough to fully immerse the ingredients. Give the mixture a stir and place the cover on the pot.
1 small butternut squash, ½ cup fancy molasses, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
Transfer to the pot to the oven and let cook for 5 hours. Check in every hour or so to taste and season with salt if required. If the beans are starting to look dry, add a little more water.
Once the 5 hours have passed, take the beans out of the oven. The squash should have melted into a silky sauce. Spoon the beans into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon, pomegranate arils, and fresh parsely. Serve immediately.
pomegranate arils, fresh parsley