A question for the foodies & cooks

[neadods]

Anyone out there who makes baked beans from scratch: What recipe do you use? What kinds of beans do you use? And do you use a crock pot or not?

Question brought to you by the fragrant failure currently in my oven.

Comments

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Occasionally.

A recipe book called "The Great American Bake-In." (And I must get some treacle so we can make them this winter.)

What we call Haricot beans.

Usually we make them in the oven in a cast iron pot, but we have used a crock pot.

What's more, I'm British.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Then you can answer what I've always wondered: beans on toast - do you pick up the toast or go at it with knife and fork?

What's more, I'm British.

Hey, aside from translating ingredient names and recalibrating temperatures, it's all the same concept. Speaking of which, I'm fairly certain that treacle = molasses in these parts. (Of which I'm not fond; I substituted honey. The taste is all right, but my beans are refusing to absorb any liquid, stubborn buggers!)

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

It could be that the beans were too old or weren't soaked long enough (unless they came from a tin, in which case I'm stumped.)

Yeah, treacle is not that different from molasses, though both are available here (the latter only in specialist shops, which is why I think the recipe I use says 'treacle'.) We also have a lighter version which is referred to as 'golden syrup.'

Boston Baked Beans aren't a recipe most people have even heard of, let alone make over here. However, we both like pulses in general, tried the recipe and loved it.

I use a knife and fork for beans on toast.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I use a knife and fork for beans on toast.

Thank you. I've always wondered about that.

Golden syrup... I'm going to have to do a little research and see if that maps to anything we've got over here. Corn syrup, possibly.

[sarah-ovenall.livejournal.com]

Apparently golden syrup isn't the same as corn syrup, but with corn syrup and molasses you can make a reasonable substitute: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/269518

[flaviarassen.livejournal.com]

Would "King Syrup" do? It's an extra thick pancake syrup

http://www.carriagehousebrands.com/kingsyrup.html

[(Anonymous)]

The local Safeway has some British items in their Ethnic aisle, so if you want to try Golden Syrup (or treacle) they may have it.

[benbenberi.livejournal.com]

I make them occasionally, don't have a specific favorite recipe but dial "boston baked beans" online for one that strikes me at the moment. I do make them in a crock pot, and generally use Great Northern or canellini beans (the little white ones). With molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and some slab bacon in the pot with them.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I was using mustard, honey, brown sugar and bacon; it's the beans where I screwed up big time. They just didn't cook properly.

[sadbhyl.livejournal.com]

I do make mine almost exclusively in my giant crockpot. I use my own combination of two recipes in the Fix It and Forget It cookbook. I live near a pork processing factory, so I can get actual real salt pork which is amazing, not that rubbery, mushything you get in canned beans.

Damn, now I want to make some...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

It's good weather for 'em right now, at least here. I still can't believe - snow in October!

I was using the One Table recipe. Next up, the 1940s era Joy of Cooking.

[nonelvis]

These were the last baked beans I made, and they were delicious. I used dry Boston Roman beans I'd already cooked, but in the past, when I've made other baked bean recipes, I've usually used navy beans.

I've always cooked them in the oven. (I don't own a crock-pot anyway.)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That recipe sounds delicious!