Bean Hole Baked Beans Recipes

BAKED BEANS TRADITIONAL BEAN-HOLE BEANS

Steps:

• Soak 2 pounds of yellow-eye beans overnight.
• Parboil beans until the skin peels away by blowing on a few beans in a spoon.
• Add the mix to the beans and stir slightly.
• Slice 1 pound salt pork into sections.
• Cut each section partly through in a criss-cross pattern and place pieces on top of the beans.
• Cover the beans and set to one side.
• The bean hole should be dug into the ground and be half again as large as your dutch oven or any other tightly lidded pot.
• Using seasoned hard wood, accumulate live coals until hole is 3/4 full.
• Shovel out the coals leaving about 3 inches of live coals in the bottom of the hole.
• Set the bean pot in the hole on top of the 3 inch bed of coals.
• Shovel the rest of the coals around and on top of the pot.
• Cover with dirt and check for escaping steam and making sure none is leaking out.
• If steam is leaking out, cover area with more dirt.
• Leave in the ground for 8 hours or overnight.
• Note: Make sure the beans are completely covered with hot water before putting in ground.
• The beans need to go into the ground hot.

BEAN-HOLE BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight in water to cover or quick-soak: Put beans in a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
• If you don't already have a bean hole, dig a hole about half again as large as whatever pot you plan to cook the beans in. (The key is that there be 6 inches between the top of the hole and the top of the pot.) Build a fire in the hole using about 10 pieces of cord wood. When the fire is burning well, add 10 softball-size rocks, then continue to burn until the wood is reduced to embers. You should have a bed of embers 2 to 3 inches deep.
• Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans and put them into a 6-quart Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot along with all remaining ingredients except the salt pork. Stir well to combine. Lay the salt pork slices on top of the beans, then add water to cover by about an inch. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Carefully remove the rocks from the bean hole. Put the pot into the hole on top of the embers, cover it with a triple layer of heavy-duty foil, then put the rocks back into the hole around and on top of the pot. Fill in the hole with dirt, covering the pot. Come back 8 hours later, remove the pot from the hole and serve the beans.

OVEN BAKED BEAN HOLE BEANS

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight. Drain and place into large 6 qt or more Dutch oven or heavy roaster. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Add sufficient water to cover the beans by at least 1 - 1 1/2 inches and stir well.
• Place covered Dutch oven in preheated 250 degree oven and bake for 6-8 hours. Check periodically to see if they need more liquid and to see if the beans are done to your liking (after at least three to four hours). Continue to cook til the beans are soft but not falling apart.
• If they are too liquidy, remove cover and bake for about 30 minutes. If too dry, stir in a little water and let absorb.
• Serve with your favorite picnic foods like fried chicken and coleslaw and buttered bread.