One of the first things we think of when we think of barbecues and picnics is baked beans. Baked beans is a dish containing beans, sometimes baked but, despite the name, usually stewed, in a sauce. Everyone has their ‘family’ baked bean recipe.
Part of the Three Sisters
The tradition of making baked beans began with the Native Americans who grew beans along with squash and corn as part of the “Three Sisters” that tribes used to supplement their diets. The original settlers were quick to adopt the native practice of cooking beans.
Boston Baked Beans
The world-famous Boston Baked Beans are derived from the original Native American recipe. At some point during the colonial years, Bostonians began to substitute molasses for maple syrup, as it was more plentiful. The popularity of which has led to the city of Boston being nicknamed “Beantown.”
Maple or Molasses?
In the New England region, baked beans are flavored either with maple syrup (Northern New England) or with molasses (Boston) and are traditionally cooked with salt pork in a bean pot in a brick oven or nestled in a bed of embers placed near the outer edges of a hearth, about a foot away from the fire for six to eight hours. Today, baked beans can be made in a slow cooker or in an oven using a traditional bean pot, Dutch oven, or casserole dish.
Adding Sauce
As settlers moved from New England, the practice of using beans cooked in sauce went with them. Several other regional baked bean recipe variations exist, most notably the addition of yellow mustard in the South, which creates a tangier flavor. Ground beef also became common alongside bacon in some of the bean styles.
Cowboy Beans
Cowboy or chuckwagon beans is a bean dish popular in the United States. The dish consists of beans and ground beef in a sweet and tangy sauce. The flavor is similar to baked beans but with a southwestern twist. A typical recipe might include pork and beans, chili con carne, ground beef, onion, pepper, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, milk, and/or flour.
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked casserole originating in the south of France containing meat (typically pork sausages, goose, duck, and sometimes mutton), pork skin, and white beans. The dish is named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole, a deep, round, earthenware pot with slanting sides. In America, the term “cassoulet” is often applied to any hearty bean-based stew with various forms of pork.
First Convenience Food
According to the 1975 Better Homes and Garden Heritage Cookbook, canned pork and beans were the first convenience food. Soldiers in the U.S. Army during the Civil War had canned pork and beans available. However, canning baked beans proved more difficult than cooked beans as manufacturers had difficulty finding a feasible way to replicate the lengthy baking process.
Benefits
Baked beans go great with other foods. Meats like chicken, pork, beef, and bison all pair nicely, and the high protein content of beans makes them perfect for the vegetarian palette. Beans are also high in nutritional value and low in cost, which makes it easier to stretch your food dollar and get more variety into your family’s daily diet.
Give Dry Beans a Try
Although starting with dried beans is a little more time-consuming than using canned beans, you will love the authentic taste of your homemade baked bean! Dried beans must be soaked to allow them to rehydrate and soften. If you have a little extra time, rather than boiling the beans, you can place them in a Dutch oven. Add 8 cups water, cover, and let them soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and rinse the beans; discard the soaking liquid. Next, they need to be cooked until tender before adding the other ingredients and baking. Continue as directed in the recipe. If you like saucy beans, add additional reserved bean liquid during cooking. If, at the end of cooking time, the beans are not as dry as you like, continue to bake them, uncovered, until some of the liquid has evaporated. Keep in mind, though, that beans will continue to soak up the liquid after cooking.
Whether you decide to try the traditional method of cooking or opt to pick up a can at your local grocery store, baked beans are the perfect side dish for your summer celebrations.
There’s a famous restaurant at Faneuil Hall called Durgin Park. They serve a magnificent and authentic version of Boston Baked Beans, and you can find their recipe below.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
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