Post by vaporvac on Jul 23, 2014 14:32:02 GMT -5
This is a re-post from "the other" site to get this section started. This is a TWELL RECIPE, although one could bake it in the oven also. It has vegetarian adjustments that make it taste very similar to the no-veg version. These are down-east style BB, NOT a tomato, sugar sweet southern style. I use my stoneware beanpot on a diffuser after pre-heating with the bean water and low cooking until it reached a simmer. It was a smashing success!!! I just used a stone in the bottom as it was too big for the Tbaker.
I steamed the brown bread during the beans' pre-cook and it was also scrumptious. I may rethink it next time as it did interfere with the beans themselves. I don't know why I've waited! The Twell is the absolute bomb for this, otherwise it's hours of cooking on low. This was effortless and after the initial heating, it was just the
Pre-cooking beans in Twell:
For these baked beans I precook them in my SS Twell pot. If I just added the molasses immediately they would never cook through as molasses is acidic and prevents the water from entering the beans. I used a bombe melon shaped steam mold for the brown bread, but a coffee can would work better. You might put a little trivet under it. I don't soak the beans or anything. Just boil the water, put in the Brown bread and slowly add the beans. I cooked it for maybe 20 min ( a fast simmer) and then shut it off. The BB was done in about 11/2hrs. I continue to cook the beans till just done in the "off" Twell. Usually when I make beans, I just slowly add them to the boiling water and then cover and shut off the gas. They completely cook with the pilot overnight and are PERFECT. I used some gas this time for the Brown Bread.
Then I transfered the beans with the other ingredients to the pre-heated bean pot. Keeping the flame low, I brought it to a simmer , shut it off and let it bake over night and the next day. (MY beans needed a lot of cooking as they were old.)
Here is the recipe:
1 - 2lb bag small white beans: great northern, soldier or marrowfat if you can find them.
Cook them according to the method above. You don't have to soak them and definitely don't add baking soda as they will not stay whole, but disintegrate with long cooking. (Besides which it destroys all the b vitamins.) Just clean, boil water and slowly pour in beans. I only cooked them for 20min because I was doing the brown bread. Otherwise just turn off the heat and leave overnight in Twell or all day until just done. P.S. I only use about 1 1/2lb beans in the beanpot, but I cooked them all and freeze what iI don't use right away.
When cooked, drain keeping the cooking water.
To enough beans to fill the pot add:
1/2Cup molasses +-, or to taste
2 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbs rum
A small chunk of salt pork(optional if you're vegetarian), pushed to the bottom of the pot which will float up
2 onions, cut in quarters
3-4 cloves stuck into the onions
Layer beans in the pot with 2 onions, cut in quarters. (You could leave one whole if desired.)
For vegetarian version add:
Marmite to taste...maybe a tablespoon or two
2-3TBsp olive oil, if going for the veggie version
Add some cooking water to cover beans in whatever pot you're using. Save extra to add while cooking.
I pre-heated my ceramic beanpot with the hot bean water and used a stone in the bottom of the Twell, slowly brought it to a boil, then lowered the heat for maybe 15-20 minutes. Shut off heat and let cook overnight or all day until reduced, adding more bean water if needed. At the end you can remove the lid and bring up the heat a bit. They will get caramelized on the top..The onions should be well cooked. These are scrumptious and the rum cuts the sweetness of the molasses quite nicely. I have a couple of unusual, but delicious variations, but try this first.
I steamed the brown bread during the beans' pre-cook and it was also scrumptious. I may rethink it next time as it did interfere with the beans themselves. I don't know why I've waited! The Twell is the absolute bomb for this, otherwise it's hours of cooking on low. This was effortless and after the initial heating, it was just the
Pre-cooking beans in Twell:
For these baked beans I precook them in my SS Twell pot. If I just added the molasses immediately they would never cook through as molasses is acidic and prevents the water from entering the beans. I used a bombe melon shaped steam mold for the brown bread, but a coffee can would work better. You might put a little trivet under it. I don't soak the beans or anything. Just boil the water, put in the Brown bread and slowly add the beans. I cooked it for maybe 20 min ( a fast simmer) and then shut it off. The BB was done in about 11/2hrs. I continue to cook the beans till just done in the "off" Twell. Usually when I make beans, I just slowly add them to the boiling water and then cover and shut off the gas. They completely cook with the pilot overnight and are PERFECT. I used some gas this time for the Brown Bread.
Then I transfered the beans with the other ingredients to the pre-heated bean pot. Keeping the flame low, I brought it to a simmer , shut it off and let it bake over night and the next day. (MY beans needed a lot of cooking as they were old.)
Here is the recipe:
1 - 2lb bag small white beans: great northern, soldier or marrowfat if you can find them.
Cook them according to the method above. You don't have to soak them and definitely don't add baking soda as they will not stay whole, but disintegrate with long cooking. (Besides which it destroys all the b vitamins.) Just clean, boil water and slowly pour in beans. I only cooked them for 20min because I was doing the brown bread. Otherwise just turn off the heat and leave overnight in Twell or all day until just done. P.S. I only use about 1 1/2lb beans in the beanpot, but I cooked them all and freeze what iI don't use right away.
When cooked, drain keeping the cooking water.
To enough beans to fill the pot add:
1/2Cup molasses +-, or to taste
2 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbs rum
A small chunk of salt pork(optional if you're vegetarian), pushed to the bottom of the pot which will float up
2 onions, cut in quarters
3-4 cloves stuck into the onions
Layer beans in the pot with 2 onions, cut in quarters. (You could leave one whole if desired.)
For vegetarian version add:
Marmite to taste...maybe a tablespoon or two
2-3TBsp olive oil, if going for the veggie version
Add some cooking water to cover beans in whatever pot you're using. Save extra to add while cooking.
I pre-heated my ceramic beanpot with the hot bean water and used a stone in the bottom of the Twell, slowly brought it to a boil, then lowered the heat for maybe 15-20 minutes. Shut off heat and let cook overnight or all day until reduced, adding more bean water if needed. At the end you can remove the lid and bring up the heat a bit. They will get caramelized on the top..The onions should be well cooked. These are scrumptious and the rum cuts the sweetness of the molasses quite nicely. I have a couple of unusual, but delicious variations, but try this first.