Instructions: Pick over beans and rinse under running water. Combine beans and water in a large kettle. Bring to a boiling; cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 1 hour.

Place beans and liquid in slow cooker, score salt pork, almost to rind; push down into beans; stir in onion, carrot, sausage links, bay leaf, salt, pepper and thyme; cover. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Stir beans; turn heat control to HIGH and cook for 4 hours. Stir beans with a wooden spoon and mash some of them against the side of the cooker to thicken soup. Taste beans; season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

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