Baked Beans

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Baked Beans

Baked Beans

Author:
As a gardener and a cook, I fell in love with beans. There are so many wonderful varieties, many of which we never see in the market. Beans are a good source of protein, B vitamins plus minerals, fiber, and are naturally low in fat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups kidney, Jacob cattle or pea beans
  • 1/3-2/3 cup molasses
  • 1 tbsp. sea salt (scant)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. oil (safflower)

Instructions

  1. Soak overnight, drain, cover with one inch of fresh water and cook till almost tender *I use a stainless steel pressure cooker. Soaked overnight, the large beans can be brought up to pressure, cooked for 12-15 minutes. Allow the pressure to drop naturally and they are ready to go.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
  3. Add the molasses, salt, onion and oil to the soaked and cooked beans, and bake in a bean pot or covered dish
  4. Bake covered for 3-4 hours. Uncovered last ½ hour to get the consistency just right

Notes:

Baked beans are a New England tradition providing sustenance to all who enjoy them! When I was young, it seems baked beans were reserved for Saturday nights in the company of franks, and always baked with salt pork. When I decided not to eat pork anymore, I thought those delicious baked beans were gone forever, but not so. Everyone loves these beans, and no one even knows that there is no salt pork.


As a gardener and a cook, I fell in love with beans. There are so many wonderful varieties, many of which we never see in the market. Beans are a good source of protein, B vitamins plus minerals, fiber, and are naturally low in fat. They are inexpensive, expand when soaked, and store well. For the most part, I think Americans equated them with poverty, and thus they took a back seat to animal protein. But in other countries, beans still hold a place on the dining room table. I always serve my baked beans with brown rice and vegetables.

The rule of thumb for beans; For every 2 cups of dry beans, use 6 cups of water to cook them in. Soaking and getting rid of the soaking water, helps with digestion. Eat them regularly to allow the body to digest them well.