I'm stuck at home with a leg injury, so the only thing for me to do to
keep from climbing the walls besides reading, watching tv and playing
on the pc is cooking.

I soaked a 1 lb. bag of dried beans overnight but I can't find the
recipe that I used last time. (It's not on the bag). All the water's
been absorbed because they've been sitting so long.

It was a traditional recipe with molasses and brown sugar, onions, etc.
NO Ketchup or other processed ingredients. I have everything I need.
I just need amounts and cooking methods.

Dried beans are cheap, but since I can't get out right now I'll have to
throw out what I have and try again another time. All suggestions are
welcome. Thanks.

On Sun 08 Jan 2006 05:45:15a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it ?

> I'm stuck at home with a leg injury, so the only thing for me to do to
> keep from climbing the walls besides reading, watching tv and playing
> on the pc is cooking.
>
> I soaked a 1 lb. bag of dried beans overnight but I can't find the
> recipe that I used last time. (It's not on the bag). All the water's
> been absorbed because they've been sitting so long.
>
> It was a traditional recipe with molasses and brown sugar, onions, etc.
> NO Ketchup or other processed ingredients. I have everything I need.
> I just need amounts and cooking methods.
>
> Dried beans are cheap, but since I can't get out right now I'll have to
> throw out what I have and try again another time. All suggestions are
> welcome. Thanks.

This is a fairly typical, traditional Boston style baked bean, and I think
it's pretty tasty. As written, it's a "weekend" recipe as far as timing
goes.

Boston Baked Beans

4 c small white beans (pref. from Maine ;-))
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dry mustard
1 c treacle (molasses), the darker the better
1/2 lb salt pork or fatty bacon
2 onions

Soak the beans in cold water for 12-24 hours (put them in before you go to
work on Friday). If you don't soak them this long, or they're a bit drier
than usual, you may have to simmer them *just until* their skins start to
burst. If you simmer them, save the bean water, as you can use it in the
bean pot later.

Saturday morning, cut the onions in quarters and throw them into the bottom
of the bean pot. Add the drained beans. Disperse the salt pork chunks
throughout the beans or put them on top. Mix all of the other ingredients
with 2-4 c of hot water and dump it into the beans. Add enough water to
cover the beans, and put the pot in oven at 250 F.

Cook until dinner-time (6-8 hours), adding water as necessary and
occasionally stirring up the beans. For the last hour or so you can leave
the pot uncovered to get rid of some excess water.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.

Boston Baked Beans in Bean Pot

1 2 1/2 quart bean pot or covered casserole
1 pound beans; California pea beans, York State beans or small white beans
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound salt pork
1/2 medium onion, peeled and uncut
4 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Soak beans overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 325F.
Place the baking soda in a Dutch oven and fill halfway with water.
Bring to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 10 minutes.
Drain beans in a colander and run cold water through them. Set aside.
Dice the salt pork into 1 inch squares.
Put half of the salt pork on the bottom of the bean pot, along with the
onion.
Put beans in the pot. Put the remaining salt pork on top of the beans.
Mix the sugar, molasses, mustard, salt and pepper with 3 cups of hot water
and pour over the beans. Cover pot with lid and place the pot into the
preheated
oven. Bake for 6 hours. Check pot periodically to check the amount of
liquid.
Add water to the beans slowly as needed to keep them moist; do not flood
them.
Remove the pot from the oven and serve. Makes about 7 cups.

Boston Baked Beans

Baked beans may have had their start with the pilgrims, when cooking on the
Sabbath was prohibited. The beans and Brown Bread were baked the night
before, then heated to piping hot the next day.
Ingredients:
16 ounces (2 cups) dry navy beans
2 quarts cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 ounces salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped

Rinse beans; add to water in saucepan. Bring to boiling and simmer 2
minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. (Or add beans to cold
water; soak overnight.) Add salt to beans and water; cover and simmer till
beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid. Measure 2 cups
liquid, adding water if needed; mix with molasses, brown sugar, and mustard.
Cut salt pork in half; score one half. Grind or thinly slice remainder. In
2-quart bean pot or casserole (I prefer the bean pot), combine beans, onion
and ground salt pork. Pour molasses mixture over. Top with scored pork.
Cover; bake in 300 oven for 5 to 7 hours. Add more liquid if needed. Makes 8
servings.


Boston Brown Bread

This is best made the night before, this way the flavor will be enhanced and
you can clean up some of the mess the night before. I wrap the bread in
foil, freeze a couple and just reheat in the oven. This is also a nice bread
to bring camping or hiking. Keep in the can and just heat near the campfire
(away from direct flames).
Sift together 1 cup sifted rye flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon
soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir in 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup whole wheat flour,
1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Add 2 cups buttermilk, 1 cup
raisins, and 3/4 cup dark molasses; beat well. Divide batter among 4 greased
and floured 16-ounce fruit or vegetable cans (labels removed). Cover tightly
with foil. Place on rack in deep kettle; add boiling water to depth of 1
inch (cans should not be resting in water). Cover; steam 3 hours, adding
more boiling water if needed. Bread is done when it has risen almost to fill
the can and the center has puffed slightly. (If center remains indented,
steam 15 minutes or so more). Cool 10 minutes. Remove bread, best done by
removing bottom of can and pushing bread out of can. Wrap; store overnight.
Makes 4.

KIB wrote:
> Boston Baked Beans
>
> Baked beans may have had their start with the pilgrims, when cooking on the
> Sabbath was prohibited. The beans and Brown Bread were baked the night
> before, then heated to piping hot the next day.
> Ingredients:
> 16 ounces (2 cups) dry navy beans
> 2 quarts cold water
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1/2 cup molasses
> 1/3 cup brown sugar
> 1 teaspoon dry mustard
> 4 ounces salt pork
> 1 medium onion, chopped
>
> Rinse beans; add to water in saucepan. Bring to boiling and simmer 2
> minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. (Or add beans to cold
> water; soak overnight.) Add salt to beans and water; cover and simmer till
> beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid. Measure 2 cups
> liquid, adding water if needed; mix with molasses, brown sugar, and mustard.
> Cut salt pork in half; score one half. Grind or thinly slice remainder. In
> 2-quart bean pot or casserole (I prefer the bean pot), combine beans, onion
> and ground salt pork. Pour molasses mixture over. Top with scored pork.
> Cover; bake in 300 oven for 5 to 7 hours. Add more liquid if needed. Makes 8
> servings.
>
>
> Boston Brown Bread
>
> This is best made the night before, this way the flavor will be enhanced and
> you can clean up some of the mess the night before. I wrap the bread in
> foil, freeze a couple and just reheat in the oven. This is also a nice bread
> to bring camping or hiking. Keep in the can and just heat near the campfire
> (away from direct flames).
> Sift together 1 cup sifted rye flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon
> soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir in 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup whole wheat flour,
> 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Add 2 cups buttermilk, 1 cup
> raisins, and 3/4 cup dark molasses; beat well. Divide batter among 4 greased
> and floured 16-ounce fruit or vegetable cans (labels removed). Cover tightly
> with foil. Place on rack in deep kettle; add boiling water to depth of 1
> inch (cans should not be resting in water). Cover; steam 3 hours, adding
> more boiling water if needed. Bread is done when it has risen almost to fill
> the can and the center has puffed slightly. (If center remains indented,
> steam 15 minutes or so more). Cool 10 minutes. Remove bread, best done by
> removing bottom of can and pushing bread out of can. Wrap; store overnight.
> Makes 4.


Thanks for the addition of the brown bread recipe, I'll use it next
time.

The recipe I used last for the beans was a combination of the methods
above. I know they'll come out perfect.

Thanks all.