rich and nourishing slow cooker beans

Mama's beans, that's what these are - and, in fact, this is a recipe I got from my mom. As with so many of the dishes I make and write about here - I had never made this before! Imagine that! Here I've had this slow cooker for at least five years and no slow cooker beans. Until now. Now I feel like I'm just getting started. It's a recipe I'm quite sure you could tweak here and there (I did a little myself) and there isn't anything ground-breaking about it. It's just super tasty - a deeply flavourful mix of sweet and savoury. It takes your basic beans on toast to a new level, or works well as a side to a mellow dish like baked macaroni and cheese (I tried this combination last week) or chicken and corn on the cob (I'll be trying this combo when our corn season kicks in).

This makes a big batch, which means handy freezer meals in the making! I froze some up in single and double size servings and they really freeze well. 

Here's the recipe with notes as to my modifications. I made a second batch of these yesterday, modifying the recipe to try a milder, more tomato flavoured version. The flavour was just what I was going for. Just don't do what I did and put them on high for the whole afternoon instead of low! I'm fighting a cold and didn't smell the distinctive 'beans stuck to the pot' smell! Anyway, nothing a little water when warming up can't mostly fix and basically they were a success anyway. So, try both versions or pick which one sounds more appealing, but I can tell you that they are both very flavourful. 

Ingredients: 

Version 1

• 1 lb navy beans (dried) (about 2 1/2 cups/625 ml - will make about 5 to 6 cups/1500 ml when soaked and cooked)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 lb. of salt pork or bacon (I just used four slices)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tsp (10 ml)  salt
• 4 tsp (20 ml) cider vinegar
• 3 tsp (15 ml) prepared mustard
• 1/ 4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar packed
• 1/ 2 cup (125 ml) molasses
• 1 /4 cup (60 ml) ketchup
• black pepper to taste
• a can tomato soup (10 oz) I used one small (5.5 fl oz/156 ml) can of tomato paste and a bit of water instead. (I recommend the reduced salt variety)

Version 2 (no bacon, less onion, no ketchup, reduced molasses)

• 1 lb navy beans (dried) (about 2 1/2 cups/625 ml - will make about 5 to 6 cups/1500 ml when soaked and cooked)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tsp (10 ml)  salt
• 4 tsp (20 ml) cider vinegar
• 3 tsp (15 ml) prepared mustard
• 1/ 4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar, packed
• 1/ 4 cup (125 ml) molasses
• black pepper to taste
• a small can (5.5 fl oz/156 ml) tomato paste (I recommend the reduced salt variety)

Method:

In a large pot or bowl soak the beans overnight in water that is at least 3" above the beans. 

Drain the beans, rinse, and transfer to the crock pot/slow cooker. 

Cover with fresh water. 

Add the baking soda. 

Add the onion, salt and other ingredients.

Cover and cook on the low to medium setting for 8 to 10 hours. 

Stir well and serve or freeze in desired portions. 

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Comments

[The Taste Traveller]

Medical Advice - thanks! HOpe you like it when you try it!

[The Taste Traveller]

Kathy - I've always loved pork and beans too. I even have fond memories or 'weiners and beans' - a dinner I used to have with my mom when my dad was away!

[The Taste Traveller]

Miranda - thanks - they are good! Pretty close to your basic Heinz in tomato sauce but home made - so better! They would be great with that very summery meal you describe - bring it on!

[miranda]

these look sooo good! can't wait to try these - they look like they'd go well with a bbq rib recipe i got from a friend, along with coleslaw and maybe some corn. yum! summer, you say?

[kathy]

This looks yummy! Pork and beans are my favorite since I was a kid. :-)

[Medical Advice]

nice recipe..im sure when i taste that so yum and delicious.