# Baked beans



## callmaker60 (Apr 22, 2014)

Folks, I know there are a lot of baked beans recipe's out there, but I am looking for a killer recipe, any help would be appreciated.


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## pacanis (Apr 22, 2014)

From an old post here.

Here's a recipe I cut out of a Field & Stream in 1983. No credit was given to anyone, so I hope it's OK to post it. This made the most awesome *beans* I ever ate, but I never got the knack of cooking it underground with coals like the recipe called for, which is I why I changed it to say cook until done. I always had to finish them off by the campfire or cook them in an oven if I was making them at home. They were always a big hit when I took them over to the folks on Christmas. Or maybe just the fact that they were served out of a big, black, cast iron DO was 

But to be honest with you. I just use Bush's now  I just had some for lunch with extra bacon, hot dogs, onions and barbeque sauce added 

Hope I can transfer this out of Word OK....



*Bean* *Hole* *Beans*​


2 lbs (4 cups) navy *beans*
3 1/2 qts water (more or less)
2 onions
6 whole cloves
½ lb salt pork
2 lbs cooked ham chunks or hot dogs (optional)
1 tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup dark molasses
1 ½ tsp dry mustard
1 cup chili sauce
Dash of Tabasco

Soak *beans* overnight in enough cold water to cover by 2 inches

The following day drain the *beans* and put in a pot. Add about 3 qts of water, cover, bring to boil, then simmer for 1 hour

Stick the cloves in the onions and put in the bottom of the Dutch oven

Pour the *beans* and cooking liquid into the Dutch oven

Cut a couple deep slashes in the salt pork and poke it into the *beans*

(If you wish add your ham or hot dogs)

Mix the remaining ingredients with ½ cup of boiling water and pour over the *beans*

If necessary add more boiling water to cover *beans*

Cover and cook until done

Serves 12-14


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## Aunt Bea (Apr 22, 2014)

I grew up with this very simple baked bean recipe and for my money simple is better when it comes to baked beans.

1 pound small white beans
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 pound salt pork or bacon
3/4 t salt
1/8 t ground black pepper
1/4 t baking soda

Soak beans overnight in water to cover.  Bring to a boil in soaking  water with baking soda added and cook for 10 minutes.  Drain.  Cover  with fresh water and return to stove, cook covered until mushy (the cooking time  varies a great deal, test by crushing a couple of beans against the  side of the pan, if you think they are ready then give them another 1/2  hour!).  Add additional water only if needed.  When the beans are cooked  add other ingredients and spoon into a baking dish.  Bake uncovered in a  325F oven for 2-3 hours until most of the liquid is absorbed.

In CNY when time is short we cheat and pick up a can or two of these!


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## Aunt Bea (Apr 22, 2014)

As I was typing the above recipe I got the feeling I had posted it before!

Deja vu all over again! 

Try the pantry chili sauce recipe to go with the baked beans!

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/iso-memorable-baked-beans-recipe-85666.html


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## jennyema (Apr 22, 2014)

Alton Brown's recipe is terrific

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


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## Roll_Bones (Apr 22, 2014)

I kick up canned baked beans.  In fact, I have never made baked beans from scratch.  I may try now.  The recipes sound good and I should try making my own.

In a medium, heavy duty sauce pan, I fry up some chopped bacon and when almost crispy I add some chopped onion and bell pepper.  Maybe a dash of chili flakes.
Once the veggies are soft, I add the canned beans and a few TBLS's of my home made BBQ sauce.
I then just heat through well.  (just to a simmer) They don't need any more cooking.  Allow them to cool on the stove.  Thats is for me.


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## Katie H (Apr 22, 2014)

I've always enjoyed baked beans and so did Buck.  Glenn is no different.  Both of them and everyone else who has tried the beans I make LOVE them.

Surprisingly, they are not "from scratch" and are more of a glorified canned version, but could fool even the most discerning baked bean critic.

The recipe came out of a January 1999 issue of _Southern Living_ magazine and is called Baked Beans Quintet.  One recipe makes lots and they freeze perfectly.

You might try them and see if you like them as much as we do.


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## Zagut (Apr 22, 2014)

The above bean recipes are good. Molasses, Mustard, and Pork are a must in my book.
I use broth rather then water and I've found a hint of cinnamon and allspice helps.
Beans are kind of like Chili. You get 100 cooks and you get 100 recipes. They're all good. Tweek a basic until it meets your taste. 

RB. Go ahead and cook them from scratch. Getting the beans cooked is the easy part. It's refining the seasoning to what you want that takes the effort. I've kicked up canned beans but scratch beans have been so much better. And I've yet to find what I'm really looking for after years of searching. But I know that one day I will. Experimentation is the fun part.


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## Addie (Apr 22, 2014)

I always enjoyed making Boston Baked Beans every Saturday night for the kids. Today, if you ask Spike if he likes beans, he will tell you "only if my mother is baking them." Even today, my daughter remembers them fondly. I had a six quart bean pot with two handles and a big metal bowl to soak them  in the night before. And then I would drain them and boil them until the skins would split when you blew on them. That is when I knew they were ready to go into the bean pot with all the fixings. I still say it was that old fashion bean pot that made them taste so good.


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## CarolPa (Apr 23, 2014)

My mother made wonderful "from scratch" baked beans.  I might have the recipe in her box of recipes I have, or it might have just been in her head.  I remember one time we went to a big church corn roast out on a farm.  Several people brought baked beans, but at the end of the night, those people were taking home the leftovers while my mother's bowl was empty.  Practically licked clean!  She was so proud!  I have never made scratch baked beans because it makes so much and there's just the two of us.  For home I used Bush's Boston Style baked beans.  Not every store carries that one, so when I see them I grab several cans.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 23, 2014)

I save up the juices from pork roasts, bbq ribs, etc.  Soak navy or pinto beans overnight, drain and rinse.  Add the beans and saved juices, favorite BBQ sauce, 2 tsp onion powder or a diced onionto the crockpot, add water to cover if needed.  Turn on to high, once it's bubbling reduce to low (if your crockpot has high and low, I do not mean "warm").  Cook until done.

I started doing this after cooking BBQ pork ribs and didn't want to get rid of the pan juices and sauce.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Apr 23, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I save up the juices from pork roasts, bbq ribs, etc.  Soak navy or pinto beans overnight, drain and rinse.  Add the beans and saved juices, favorite BBQ sauce, 2 tsp onion powder or a diced onionto the crockpot, add water to cover if needed.  Turn on to high, once it's bubbling reduce to low (if your crockpot has high and low, I do not mean "warm").  Cook until done.
> 
> I started doing this after cooking BBQ pork ribs and didn't want to get rid of the pan juices and sauce.



There's a reason that pork & beans is such a well known phrase.  Pork and beans compliment each other as well as any foods on the planet.  

I like to pressure cook my navy beans in salted water until done.  Then, I drain the beans, add brown sugar and molasses, or maple syrup, some kind of pork, usually in chunks.  The pork can be smoked hocks, left-over ham, a ham or pork bone, freshly fried pork steaks that are then cubed, or part of a left-over pork roast, left-over ribs, bacon, side pork, etc.  Add to that freshly diced onion, a tbs. or two of chili powder (just enough to give it a hint of chili flavor), yellow mustard to taste.  Cover and let it simmer for an hour so that the beans have time to really absorb the flavor.

Sometimes, I'll add a little tomato past, just a tbs. or so.  Once in a great while, I'll add bbq sauce.  If I have left-over pork juices, they will always go into the bean pot, or the pea soup pot.

My beans are fairly sweet, but with enough yellow prepared mustard to balance the sweetness.  The onion and chili powder add depth to the beans, but don't take center stage.

Like others have stated, beans can be prepared a thousand different ways, with most of them being very good.  I believe that the secret to great baked beans is as follows:
1. Make sure the beans are cooked through before adding anything acidic (otherwise the beans will eb tough and undercooked).  
2. Whether you like your beans sweet or savory, there must be mulitiple layers of flavor.
3. Each flavor must compliment the other flavors, without any one flavor dominating.
4. You need to be able to taste the bean flavor as well.
5. Though you can use beef, or other meats, pork rules in bean dishes.
6. Don't forget a little salt.

After that, it comes to trying different recipes, determine what are your favorites, and tweek them to make your beans truly special to your taste.

All of the bean recipes presented are good recipes.  I couldn't tell you which one is best, because there really is no "best" bean recipe.  Even when I make beans in my own home, "best" is whatever I happen to be hungry for at the time.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Aunt Bea (Apr 23, 2014)

If you don't have a piece of pork you can put a whole peeled onion, that has been stuck with 3 or 4 whole cloves, into the center of the bean pot and bake the beans as usual.  You can also do this when simmering dried beans on top of the stove and then remove it prior to baking.


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## pacanis (Apr 23, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> If you don't have a piece of pork you can put a whole peeled onion, that has been stuck with 3 or 4 whole cloves, into the center of the bean pot and bake the beans as usual. You can also do this when simmering dried beans on top of the stove and then remove it prior to baking.


 
The recipe I posted calls for onions with cloves in them.


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## taxlady (Apr 23, 2014)

I am not a fan of baked beans. I have only once enjoyed them. A friend made them with beans from her garden that were still fresh, not dried. She used bear instead of pork. They weren't too sweet and they were yummy.


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## Aunt Bea (Apr 23, 2014)

pacanis said:


> The recipe I posted calls for onions with cloves in them.



I knew I read it somewhere!


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## pacanis (Apr 23, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> I knew I read it somewhere!


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