Baked Beans & Childhood Memories

My weekly trip to the farmer's markets yesterday were educational.  One of the farmers was holding a "demonstration" of pressure cooker canning.  I use the term "demonstration" loosely since he had no heat source, did not demonstrate how the pressure canner was used and had several jars of food that were pressure cooker canned that did not turn out very well.

After watching his so called demo with another shopper I turned to the next booth and discussed water-bath canning (the method I currently use) with another farmer.  At that booth I purchased a pound of beans and received a recipe for making baked beans --- and also instructions for canning the beans.  I wandered through the rest of the market and picked up garlic, maple syrup, and onions - the rest of the ingredients I needed to make the recipe I received from Shady Side Farms.

Last night I covered the beans with cold water.  This morning I drained and rinsed and drained the beans and then covered them with cold water.  The pot of beans is now on the stove simmering - a process that, according to recipe directions, should take two hours.

A few minutes ago the beans started fill the air with childhood memories.  As a child we spent a considerable amount of time visiting my grandpa.  He was a widower who lived alone in a home he owned that was converted years before into two apartments.  Grandpa lived in the two bedroom aprtment on the 2nd floor.  When we pulled into the driveway at Grandpa's home we could often smell the food he was cooking.  Sometimes the smells permeated the neighborhood - or could it be the smells were embedded in our nostrils so we carried them with us wherever we went?  Grandpa never settled for opening a can - he always made his beans the right way!  The smells filling my home today are the smells that greeted us on our wonderful visits to see the most wonderful Grandpa.  His other passion was making homemade bread. 

Hmmmm, perhaps I should up put a loaf of bread .....

Here's the recipe for the beans I am making today:

Maple Baked Beans

(recipe from ShadySide Farms)

1 pound Pinto or Jacob's Cattle beans

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 bay leaf

2 glugs of maple syrup (about 1/2 cup)

3/4 pound chunk bacon ------I'm leaving this out of my beans, personal preference

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1. The night before, pick over beans, cover generously with cold water, and set aside.
2. The next morning, put the beans on the stove and simmer until tender -- about 2 hours.
3. Drain beans; put in slow cooker on low.
4. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and chopped bacon.  
5. Add maple syrup and enough cold water to cover the beans
6. Stir beans from time to time and add a bit of hot water if necessary to keep the top layer just nicely submerged.  Around noon, stir in salt and dry mustard.
7. Remove the lid for the last hour of cooking so the beans thicken.

Things not included in the recipe but learned from the farmer.  The beans swell about three times the size so make sure you use a large crock pot.  This recipe makes enough to feed a small crowd so, if you are making this for your family, cut it in thirds or plan on canning the rest.

To can the beans,

• follow the recipe as written.  
• Wash and sterilize jars and fill the hot dry jars with the beans. 
• Make sure you leave 1/2 inche head space.  
• Put the lids on the jars and immediately process the jars for 10-15 minutes in a water bath canner.