Stovall's Beans
My mother cooked a pretty mean "baked bean", but they were fairly simple. It consisted of pork and beans poured into a Corningware bowl (remember the white bowls with the little blue emblem? Brings back memories, for sure.) Squeeze out a ribbon of yellow mustard across them like a pie crust lattice, cover the entire bowl with strips for bacon, and off them into the oven for maybe an hour. They were great, but I was looking for something a little more glorified to go with my meat...
They go well as a side dish with pork and chicken, but I have served them from time to time with beef, as well.
They are as colorful as they are good, and only YOU will know how to make them this good...
...it starts with the meat! Now, we all know that in a medium sized can of 'pork' and beans, there is a little slither of pork fat and that's about it. THAT, I thought, was the main missing ingredient! So we start with a pound of pork, a pound of poultry (chicken or turkey), or a pound of beef. Pick the two you like best, or even do all three! But at least pick two. We are going for flavor here...
Saute the pork until it is just pink, then remove to rest. Do the same with the chicken.
For a serving for 12-15, I use one pound of each meat.
Place the chopped meat into your trusty crockpot. You've seen that I do a lot of slow cooking. These beans CAN be prepared on my Big Green Egg, and if in bulk, they go into turkey pans in the cooking chamber of my rolling smoker. That's how you cook for a crowd, though. A turkey pan holds 50 servings of my beans. But that's another story. Drag out the crock pot. Dust it off, and plug it in on high temp.
Next, we are both looking for color and taste. In this sized cooking, use 4-6 Roma tomatoes, diced to the same general size as your meat. Roma are best because they are more meaty, and hold together better cooked than most other types of tomatoes. Add the chopped/diced tomatoes to your crock pot with the meat. One bunch green onions should then be completely sliced into 1/4 inch lengths and added to the pot. Dice one small to medium onion into small pieces and add to the pot.
Open a 53 ounce can of Van Camp's Pork and Beans, and discard the liquid. Pour beans into the crock pot. Open a 15 ounce can of Van Camp's P & B, pour it WITH its liquid, into the crock pot.
Add 1/4 cup of yellow mustard, 1/2 cup of brown sugar (light or dark, your choice), 2 teaspoons of celery seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Mix all ingredients well.
Cook in the crockpot on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally, then reduce to low for up to three more hours.
Over the 30+ years that I've been preparing these beans, I don't remember having served them to a crowd as a main dish, but I can unequivocally assure you that they are a great single bowl meal with crackers or cornbread, so while you are in the crock, make sure you make enough for a 'leftovers' meal for the following day...
ENJOY!!!
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RECIPE
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INGREDIENTS
1- 53 oz. can Van Camp's Pork and Beans
1- 15 oz. can Van Camp's Pork and Beans
1 bunch green onions
4-6 Roma tomatoes
1 small to medium sweet onion
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup Brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound each of TWO of the following three meats:
`Boneless chicken breast
`Pork chop
`Beef steak
1- 15 oz. can Van Camp's Pork and Beans
1 bunch green onions
4-6 Roma tomatoes
1 small to medium sweet onion
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup Brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound each of TWO of the following three meats:
`Boneless chicken breast
`Pork chop
`Beef steak
INSTRUCTIONS
In a crock pot of 6 quarts or more, add the 15 ounce can of pork and beans. On the 31 ounce can of pork and beans, discard the liquid and add the beans to the crock pot. Cook each of your one pound meat choices separately until done but not browned. Remove from heat to rest, then dice or cube into small pieces the size of a marble or shooting marble and add to the pot. Slice one bunch of green onions into 1/4-1/2 inch lengths, all the way to the stalk, including all of the green stalk. Add to pot. Dice one small to medium sweet onion and add to pot. Add yellow mustard, brown sugar, celery seeds, and crushed red pepper to pot.
Cook in crock pot for 4-5 hours at high heat in covered crockpot, stirring occasionally. If beans become too dry, add a small amount of water and stir. After no more than 5 hours, reduce heat to low. Beans may remain on low for up to three hours before serving.
This volume serves 12 people. Add more beans for up to 20 without adding any other ingredients.
Enjoy!
Cook in crock pot for 4-5 hours at high heat in covered crockpot, stirring occasionally. If beans become too dry, add a small amount of water and stir. After no more than 5 hours, reduce heat to low. Beans may remain on low for up to three hours before serving.
This volume serves 12 people. Add more beans for up to 20 without adding any other ingredients.
Enjoy!
