"Southern" style beans

Oh and if the second ingredient on your list after the beans is not Ham hock or at least ham bone than they are not "Southern Beans".

MidTNJasonF said:

Oh and if the second ingredient on your list after the beans is not Ham hock or at least ham bone than they are not "Southern Beans".

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How do you figure?

Homercidal said:

How do you figure?

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That is how they are cooked. It is a key ingredient. Only three keys are the beans, the ham hock, and the water. Everything else is inconsequential. Without the hock you are just making some other type of beans. It might be tasty but it is not truly Southern.

I make FANTASTIC vegetarian beans, but MidTNJasonF is right. the word "southern" by the beans might as well say "pig parts"

For veggie BTW....At least 4 big fire roasted bell peppers (and preferably 2 anchos, a jalapeno and some caramelized onions) must be dumped in from the word go to make up the flavor lost from no piggy.

MidTNJasonF said:

Oh and if the second ingredient on your list after the beans is not Ham hock or at least ham bone than they are not "Southern Beans".

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Fatback doens't cut it?

Look out folks... this could get heated.

MidTNJasonF said:

That is how they are cooked. It is a key ingredient. Only three keys are the beans, the ham hock, and the water. Everything else is inconsequential. Without the hock you are just making some other type of beans. It might be tasty but it is not truly Southern.

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Yeah, but why do I have to list it second? I'm not selling it in stores...

Haha I think the point is that you need bone in order to get some meat gelatin in the beans (thus the hock or ham bone). The ham meat is a tasty addition but if I am understanding correctly you need the bone to boil.

Lol, Homer you smartass!!!

Ingredients are listed by volume. So second only to beans should be the amount of PORK!!

I think more peppers than pork could be OK, but you might be even more southern by that point.

FWIW I'd never make it without ham or bacon. Screw that. The healthyness of the beans balances out the unhealthyness of the pork. AMIRIGHT?

Creamy, I am not sure I will be able to find the exotic ingredients you listed in that Dominican Style recipe. I was going to look tonight when I took my kid to dance, but it turns out I have to replace the starter in my Jeep so my wife is taking the kid. I am debating on whether to ask her to shop for this stuff or not. It woudl be fun, but I've been getting it way to regularly for me to want to tempt fate. Then again I could tease her with some crock pot pulled pork (My smoker is not suitable for operating in the teens with a 15 MPH wind...)

Hate to say it, but I have become a bean snob. The canned beans are all a tad overcooked to begin with, and even mild heating up makes them mush. The dominican recipe sounds good, but I hates the can.

Dried beans (or fresh it you can get them) are so easy and just take a little time, but come out the right texture.

cheezydemon3 said:

Hate to say it, but I have become a bean snob. The canned beans are all a tad overcooked to begin with, and even mild heating up makes them mush. The dominican recipe sounds good, but I hates the can.

Dried beans (or fresh it you can get them) are so easy and just take a little time, but come out the right texture.

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Not to mention being 1/4 the price and not being salted to death.

TNGabe said:

Not to mention being 1/4 the price and not being salted to death.

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Exactly!

Hell, for the same price I end up with too many to eat!

ranchogordo.com

I went on a bean buying binge last year. So good.

Homercidal said:

FWIW I'd never make it without ham or bacon. Screw that. The healthyness of the beans balances out the unhealthyness of the pork. AMIRIGHT?

Creamy, I am not sure I will be able to find the exotic ingredients you listed in that Dominican Style recipe. I was going to look tonight when I took my kid to dance, but it turns out I have to replace the starter in my Jeep so my wife is taking the kid. I am debating on whether to ask her to shop for this stuff or not. It woudl be fun, but I've been getting it way to regularly for me to want to tempt fate. Then again I could tease her with some crock pot pulled pork (My smoker is not suitable for operating in the teens with a 15 MPH wind...)

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I read through my list to find the exotic ingredients you mentioned and the only thing I can think of is the sazon goya. teehee! I know you can use adobo in a pinch (itll be a wee bit different but good nonetheless), or omit entirely in favor of just salt and pepper... maybe a wee bit of tumeric. I thought for sure every large supermarket in America had sazon goya on the shelves until gratus fermentatio proved me wrong... but its still worth a look.

Not to go off on another one of my dumb tangents, but the real triumph of the cuisine of the Spanish speaking peoples is the same of Italian cuisine. Substitutions made due to necessity will still yield a wonderful product if you adhere to the flavor profile of the dish.

Yes my comments were in jest a bit. My old school Southern Mother-In-Law may be a ridiculous alcoholic but she can cook some beans. Big ol' hunk of ham bone with some fat, meat, and cartilage still stuck to it is an absolute requirement around here.

In the past I have made a black bean soup with diced cured country ham, green peppers, diced onions, garlic, some diced green chili, salt, pepper, honey for a touch of sweetness, maybe a little cayenne pepper blend for additional heat, and chicken stock. It ends up being more of a bowl of beans instead of a soup but it is tasty.

No matter how awesome, the best beans win best supporting actor, not the lead role. Here are mine.

After my homemade ground bologna (Which I normally LOVE, but this time I accidentally used dill relish instead of sweet relish...) that looks pretty damn tasty!

No time for plan B. Gotta get the kid to band concert tonight.

Homercidal said:

After my homemade ground bologna (Which I normally LOVE, but this time I accidentally used dill relish instead of sweet relish...) that looks pretty damn tasty!

No time for plan B. Gotta get the kid to band concert tonight.

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You already said that.

Maybe get a mod to fix it.

Typical beans at my house while growing up:

Great Northern Dried beans reconstituted with warm, lightly salted water.
Ham Hocks
1 whole onion chopped
couple cloves garlic chopped
Slat
Pepper
Water
and one of Dad's beers.

Saute Onions and garlic in bacon fat (Mom always kept a mason jar of this by the stove) and then brown off the hocks all in the same pot the beans will be cooked in.
Drain the beans, and toss on top of hocks and onions.
Dump in Dad's beer, this was usually one he had left over from Friday night, usually purchased in Frankenmuth.
Cover with water and let simmer all day.
About an hour or so before the beans are ready, get your cast iron skillet hot, add some bacon grease, throw in your corn bread and put is all in the oven
About the time the corn bread is ready you put it all on the table, dad gives each of a big hunk of hot steaming corn bread which thickly cover in fresh home churned butter, break it up in the bottom of the bowl, dump a couple ladles of the the thick bean stew on top - always hopingyou get one of the bigger chucnks of hocks in your bowl!

My mouth is watering just remembering sitting down with Mom, Dad, 3 brothers and my sister to meals like that.

Potato soup with some homemade sausage from some Polish friends up by Bay City was another favorite!

One thing I gotta say bout southern beans. Ain't no two pot o beans the same. We dont folla no recipe! Country style- what everyone is saying, water, beans, ham hock (or jowls)' salt, pepper, etc... Right now I think we have at least seven types, like y'all were saying, we eat beans 5 days a week. some add fruit jelly, sometimes I add mustard base, sometimes tomato, if I'm feeling honry it's Frannks hot sauce.

So..... Savannah style beans ( not really, I just made that up)

Pre soak beans (sometimes you'll think they're fermenting and you get crazy ideas)

Add a little beer to pot( usually the last one you opened last night and forgot, wine also works well, but not mead it's too important for cooking beans)
Sauté onions and garlic until tender (insert veggie here)
Fill pot with beer (cheap beer works well for this)
Add hocks, jowls or bacon (skip this for vegans) actually I stopped for health concerns ( I noticed my fellow southerners um girth)
Add a touch of cider vinegar
Spice to taste (salt if your MD/ND oks it) - turmeric works well here, or cumin as mentioned before, sometimes rosemary hits the spot
Simmer while drinking beer (and stirring the starch can really ruin a pot but that's another story)

Now who's up for greens And rutabagas?!!!!

Around here you first have to find the biggest cast iron kettle you can find (not a dutch oven, a kettle).
Then build a hardwood fire hickory works best
Hang or set the kettle in/over the fire

Something like this


Follow Subsailors Recipe above, Some people add some shredded carrot

Simmer all day

Serve with Cornbread

Airplanedoc said:

Follow Subsailors Recipe above, Some people add some shredded carrot

Simmer all day

Serve with Cornbread

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I forgot that Mom sometime put shredded carrot in there.

Subsailor - that sounds amazing!

Love the family tie too!

I love beans!

I don't soak mine though, I just slow cook 'em all day. I don't refrigerate them when done either. The pan just sits on the stove for a few days until the beans are eaten.

My recipe is always changing but goes something like this.
beans
onions
jalapenos
salt/pepper
garlic
olive oil

Thank you all for giving me the idea for last night's dinner. Navy beans in the crockpot with bacon, onion, garlic, peppers, chicken stock, molasses, and my robust porter. Turned out great!

Growing up with a Sicilian American grandma in the house (RIP) we were more likely to have a plate of lentils than beans . Made in a very very similar way to what you guys are refering to as southern beans... up to and including the ham bone.

Too bad my lady isnt big on lentils, I would make some right now!

Maybe when she goes to Kentucky Monday on business...

CreamyGoodness said:

Growing up with a Sicilian American grandma in the house (RIP) we were more likely to have a plate of lentils than beans . Made in a very very similar way to what you guys are refering to as southern beans... up to and including the ham bone.

Too bad my lady isnt big on lentils, I would make some right now!

Maybe when she goes to Kentucky Monday on business...

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We had lentils and kale for dinner, but with a fried egg on top I felt like less of a hippy.

Yea Swmbo is vegan and lil sis is a ND. Lots of hippy food. But, she did bring a pheasant home last night, that was a surprise when I opened the fridge.

It's on

I even poured in a beer to mix

My version of baked beans. Leftovers, if any, go into chili. Actually I plan it that way. If making chili I will make up a batch of these then make chili after these have set a couple of days to a week. They make a great bean sandwich too with bologna and mayo.

NH Baked Beans

1# Red Kidney Beans
1 1/2 Qt. Water
1/4# Salt Pork or Bacon
2 med. Onions Sliced
1 TB Dry Mustard
1/2 Cup Molasses
1/4-1/2 tsp Alspice
1/2 Cup Catsup

Put salt pork/bacon on bottom of pot. Top with onion. Add beans. Mix all other ingredients and pour over beans. Cook until done in crock pot or 325* oven in bean pot. Stir once in awhile, not too often.

krackin said:

My version of baked beans. Leftovers, if any, go into chili. Actually I plan it that way. If making chili I will make up a batch of these then make chili after these have set a couple of days to a week. They make a great bean sandwich too with bologna and mayo.

NH Baked Beans

1# Red Kidney Beans
1 1/2 Qt. Water
1/4# Salt Pork or Bacon
2 med. Onions Sliced
1 TB Dry Mustard
1/2 Cup Molasses
1/4-1/2 tsp Alspice
1/2 Cup Catsup

Put salt pork/bacon on bottom of pot. Top with onion. Add beans. Mix all other ingredients and pour over beans. Cook until done in crock pot or 325* oven in bean pot. Stir once in awhile, not too often.

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Batten the hatches!!!!!!!

Gimelli (and a few other sincerely nice but opinionated fellows) will jump your case for suggesting beans in chili!

Gonna make some chili myself for my now week old beans!

How long do you soak your beans? I've soaked them overnight only to get rubber beans in the past, and gave up. Perhaps its time to admit that I dont have all the culinary answers and listen to an actual southerner

CreamyGoodness said:

How long do you soak your beans? I've soaked them overnight only to get rubber beans in the past, and gave up. Perhaps its time to admit that I dont have all the culinary answers and listen to an actual southerner

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The million dollar question.

Pre soaking has 2 apparent advantages:

......(rubber beans?what??)

Less cooking time and therefore less energy bill, and if it is summer, less counter to the AC you are paying for.

Less stirring and breakup of beans as outside becomes cooked but the inside is still hard.

I have just boiled non soaked beans and had them turn out fine.

the difference is subtle if any.

One HUGE tip is to re-use the soak water. You MUST use the soak water.

cheezydemon3 said:

The million dollar question.

Pre soaking has 2 apparent advantages......(rubber beans?)

Less cooking time and therefore less energy bill, and if it is summer, less counter to the AC you are paying for.

Less stirring and breakup of beans as outside becomes cooked but the inside is still hard.

I have just boiled non soaked beans and had them turn out fine.

the difference is subtle if any.

One HUGE tip is to re-use the soak water. You MUST use the soak water.

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Good points for sure, and points taken, but how much time do you dedicate to your soak?

Odd, I've read to toss the soak water and get fresh. It is supposed to reduce the amount of gas you produce, as well as acting as a final rinse for any dirt.

The soaking usually makes the beans take up a bunch of water, and it helps reduce the cooking time, but you still have to cook them through, which still does take some time, depending on the temperature.

I did about 8 hours on low in the crock pot and still have to turn it up and do high for a couple of hours. Next time I'd try 8 hours on high and see how it goes. My friend's family would just simmer them all day on the stove.

CreamyGoodness said:

Good points for sure, and points taken, but how much time do you dedicate to your soak?

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I just added plenty of water (like well over the top of the beans) and let them soak overnight in the fridge.

cheezydemon3 said:

Batten the hatches!!!!!!!

Gimelli (and a few other sincerely nice but opinionated fellows) will jump your case for suggesting beans in chili!

Gonna make some chili myself for my now week old beans!

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Oh that's OK. Every one knows that Texas chili ain't got no beans. LOL.

CreamyGoodness said:

Good points for sure, and points taken, but how much time do you dedicate to your soak?

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generally overnight, or about 8 hours.

I like the quick soak of: boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and cover for 2 hours.

Ready to go.

Do NOT throw out the soak water. It leaches lots of nutrients from the beans and if discarded, you get watered down beans.

Homercidal this may be "dead" I feel I should help you find those beans you ate as a child. I'm attaching a pic, let me know if this is the color of bean you are looking for I've read the thread and so far I didn't find where anybody mentioned the ingredient every body locally uses in my part of the south.