Family cookouts are a time-honored tradition in my family.
Written by Jennifer Locke, RD, LDN
I grew up in a small town in Northeastern Connecticut and, growing up, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by all of my maternal aunts, uncles, and cousins all within a less than a one mile radius.
Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are of cookouts we would have in my grandma’s “summer house.” All the cousins would spend the day making a whirlpool in my grandma’s above-ground pool, having her hand-deliver us popsicles over the edge, and then, of course, there were the cookouts that came along with the summer holidays and birthdays.
Now the term “summer house” might confuse some folks because I don’t mean it in the traditional way one might use it, but it’s what we called the free-standing, three-season porch right outside of my grandma’s house that had a big long table in the center, tables that folded into each of the walls, and an old fridge.
One of my favorite memories from these cookouts was mom’s baked beans, which are a tradition that has been passed down through generations. My mom even remembers her great grandmother’s baked beans at her family cookouts growing up. Recipes weren’t written down a lot in my mom’s family, but she has found and doctored her own baked bean recipe through the years that she says comes close to her great grandmothers.
Please enjoy my mom’s baked bean recipe below, which was inspired by my great-great grandmother’s recipe from years ago. To me, it’s not a cookout without homemade beans.
Old-fashioned Baked Beans
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook/ bake time: 3 3/4 hours
Oven: 300 degrees
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dry navy beans
- 1 cup chopped white onion (or 1 large)
- 1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 lb bacon or salt pork (optional)
- Vegetarian option: Leave out completely or replace with tempeh bacon / vegetarian meat alternative of choice, if desired
Directions:
- Rinse beans. In a large pot combine beans and 8 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (or, place beans in water in pot. Cover and let soak in a cool place overnight).
- Drain and rinse beans. Return beans to pot. Stir in 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain beans, reserving liquid.
- In a 2 1/2 quart casserole combine the beans, bacon or salt pork or vegetarian meat substitute (if using) and onion. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid, the molasses or maple syrup, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
- Bake, covered in a 300 degree oven for about 2 1/2 hours or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add additional reserved bean liquid. Makes about 10-12 side-dish servings.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you’re needing nutritional assistance.
*Based on the recipe “Old-Fashioned Baked Beans” from “Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book”