Real!!!! Baked beans

[summerf]

Hi, I am trying to find a recipe for real baked beans and most of the recipes seem to use canned beans. I tried many years ago to make baked beans in my slow cooker and they were as hard as rocks. I soaked them overnight and also simmered them for about an hour the next day before I put them into the crock pot. Go figure!!
I do have an old fashioned bean crock which I could also use so I would appreciate any REAL bean recipes out there.
P.S. I got replies two weeks ago regarding a baked ham dinner and side dishes with salad (homemade dressing) and I took input from everyone and my dinner was a great success all around.
I enjoy this site so much and appreciate all the help I have received over the years. I have been married for 45 years but unfortunately my cooking leaves a lot to be desired. I am great at cooking large meals like boiled dinners, etc. (coming from a large family) but being a part of this site has really helped me improve my cooking abilities and my husband is pleased as well.
Take care and have a great day.
Summer

 

[chopper]

This is one you might want to try. I also make it using a ham and a bay leaf. Grandma said that you will get tough beans if you add the meat too soon (wives tale???). I have also heard that the salt needs to be added at the right time so the beans dont break apart too much (again-wives tale???) You be the judge. Here it is. There are so many recipes to try. Let me know if you need another for any reason, and I will send more.

New England Baked Beans

Rinse 1 pound (2 cups) dried navy beans. Combine beans and 8 cups cold water in kettle. Bring to boiling. Simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand one hour. (or add beans to the cold water and soak overnight).

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to beans and water. Cover; simmer until tender, about 1 hour or more. Drain, reserving liquid. Measure 2 cups liquid, adding water if needed; mix with 1/2 cup molasses, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and one teaspoon dried mustard.

Cut 1/4 pound salt pork in half. Score one half; set aside. Grind or thjinly slice remainder. In 2 quart bean pot or casserolecombine beans; 1 medium onion, sliced; and ground salt pork. Pour sugar-bean liquid over. Top with scored pork. Cover; bake at 300F for 5-7 hours. Add more liquid, if needed. Serves 8.

 

[jennyema]

Here's the recipe I use. It's from Alton Brown and is terrific:

The Once and Future Beans Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

 

[Andy M.]

Here's the recipe I use. It's from Alton Brown and is terrific:

The Once and Future Beans Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

The recipe looks good except for the tomato. As a New Englander, tomato in baked beans is anathema.

 

[Rocklobster]

Over the years, I have found that, although baked beens seem easy enough, there is still a good possibility of failure. You really need to keep an eye on them through out the cooking procedure. Some beans will absorb the liquid way more, or faster than others. You need to be there, and check occasionally, to make some adjustments as the beans cook. Especially in the later part of the cooking process.
I usually keep some stock, or other liquid, handy, so if they seem to be drying out and still hard, you can add it to the beans.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

The recipe looks good except for the tomato. As a New Englander, tomato in baked beans is anathema.

is anathema a New England enema

 

[Rocklobster]

The recipe looks good except for the tomato. As a New Englander, tomato in baked beans is anathema.

I feel the same way about molasses. Plechh! Up in these parts, lots of people use ketchup, which is something I don't care for.

 

[chopper]

I feel the same way about molasses. Plechh! Up in these parts, lots of people use ketchup, which is something I don't care for.

What do you put in your beans, Rocklobster?

 

[Rocklobster]

Very basic. Beans, beef stock, salt pork or bacon, onions, brown sugar, garlic, salt'n'peppa, tomato paste.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Aww come on guys pick on me I'm a Brit and I eat Heinz baked beans cold out of the tin.

 

[chopper]

Very basic. Beans, beef stock, salt pork or bacon, onions, brown sugar, garlic, salt'n'peppa, tomato paste.

That sounds good too. I have made them that way too. I usually use what I have available. You know...throw in this or that. Usually don't actually use the recipe, just make them like Mom did, and Grandma did, and Great Grandma did...

 

[Rocklobster]

That sounds good too. I have made them that way too. I usually use what I have available. You know...throw in this or that. Usually don't actually use the recipe, just make them like Mom did, and Grandma did, and Great Grandma did...

My mother never used tomato, molasses or beef stock. The finished product is very a very white bean color. Somehow, they still taste great. I guess they had less products available to them when they learned to cook. With so much available these days, I just can't help myself with most recipes. But, baked beans are one of those recipes that I try to make with as least ingredients possible.

 

[Rocklobster]

Aww come on guys pick on me I'm a Brit and I eat Heinz baked beans cold out of the tin.

One place I worked at years ago served those on their breakfast buffet. I opened hundreds of 100 oz cans over the years. They aren't too bad. I prefer a dryer bean as opposed to the saucy kind, though.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I use the pan juices from my pork ribs to make my baked beans, plus any pork left over. Soak the beans overnight, rinse and drain, layer with sliced onions and minced garlic pour pan juices over, add water if needed and cook on low in the crock pot till done.

 

[Andy M.]

Aww come on guys pick on me I'm a Brit and I eat Heinz baked beans cold out of the tin.

You don't need to be picked on, you need professional help! If you must eat canned beans, go for the B&M brand.

 

[Rocklobster]

I use the pan juices from my pork ribs to make my baked beans, plus any pork left over. Soak the beans overnight, rinse and drain, layer with sliced onions and minced garlic pour pan juices over, add water if needed and cook on low in the crock pot till done.

Nice one, PF. I've made some with a bit of bbq sauce also, and they can be quite nice. Especially as a side for a bbq meal.

 

[4meandthem]

You Brits and your baked beans......

 

[Rocklobster]

..

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

G.W.'s Baked Great Lakes Style Baked Beans:

Now we know that Boston is beantown, and that they use mollases exclusively to add that wonderful flavor to Boston Baked beans. But that isn't the only kind of sweetener that goes well with the little legumes (did you know that in California, beans are sometimes reffered to as "barking spyder eggs).

Here in Great Lakes country, we have lots of maple trees. So, every now and again, for a treat, we use pure, grade b maple syrup to sweeten the beans.

So here's how I make them.

Ingredients:
1 quart of either uncooked Great Northern, or Navy beans
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grade b maple syrup
1/ cup dark brown brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. prepared yellow mustard
1 lb. of your choice - maple cured bacon, smoky ham, smoked ham hocks, or jowls, or fresh boston Butt roast, with bone.

Wash the beans in running water and place into a 3 quart pot. Cover with water so that there are two inches above the beans. Bring to a boil and let cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Drain. Add fresh water, again so that it fill the pot 2 inches above the beans and bring to a boil. Add the salt, cover and let simmer for an hour. Test the beans. They need to be soft, not almost soft. If they are not tender, cook another ten to twenty minutes and retest.

While the beans are cooking, slice the meat into bite-sized chunks and lightly brown them in a pan. Remove from heat and let cool.

When the beans are soft, drain any excess water from the pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir, cover and place in a crock pot, or in the oven, covered, and bake or slow cook for about three hours. Stir every half hour or so. If you desire, you can add just a bit of liquid smoke to the pot.

After you have made these beans, you can play with the flavors by adding barbecue sauce, or a bit of tomato paste. Worcestershire sauce also work in baked beans. Of course you can use molasses instead of maple syrup. I've had some very good beans that were primarily Boston style, but with a bit of chili powder added.

But whatever flavor you like best, it is essential that the beans be very tender before adding any acid containing ingredients, such as prepared mustard, vinegar, catchup, tomato, etc. The acid reacts with the protein in the beans to make them hard, and they just won't soften after that.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[jacky77]

the baked bean bath made me nauseous...