# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving > Recipes Only >  Bean Recipes PLEASE

## RkyMntPrepper

I know to some this may sound weird or possibly even unbelievable, but Im one of those strange people who DO NOT care for the taste of beans.  I have to be REALLY hungry to eat such things as pinto beans and white beans.  (Green beans and waxed beans are just fine but other type of beans, not so much.)  Even then Ive been known to pass on beans because there are times when the thought of that beany taste will turn off any appetite I may have.

Im hoping there may be others like me out there who may have some suggestions to offer.  Or am I the only weird one in the world??  I know that rice and beans are a complete protein and, therefore, good for the human body.  So I would like to overcome this distaste for beans now while I can slowly work at it.  That means Im going to have to figure out a way of masking that beany taste.

Any ideas??  Im willing to try a number of recipes until I come up with one or two that seems a bit more palatable to me.  Id like to start out with pinto beans since they are readily available and cheap.  That way if I mess up the first few times it wont be such a big loss.  

Ive got a slow cooker, cast iron dutch oven, and a number of other cooking pots and pans so Im set there.  I just need some really good recipes, ones that maybe someone has tweaked for everyone in the family.

Thank You  :Helpsmilie:   and please be somewhat kind in your criticism.   :Angel:

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## pete lynch

Here is a good one:



> The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe
> 
> 2 pounds dried navy beans
> 
> four quarts hot water
> 
> 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
> 
> 1 onion, chopped
> ...


http://www.senate.gov/reference/refe.../bean_soup.htm  :Chef:

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## RkyMntPrepper

> Here is a good one:
> 
> 
> http://www.senate.gov/reference/refe.../bean_soup.htm


I will definitely give this one a try.  Thanks much!!!

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## 2dumb2kwit

About the only way I do pinto beans, is a recipe I got from the food network. It's pretty dang close to what was already posted. About the only difference is adding some red bell pepper to it, in the last hour of simmering.

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## RkyMntPrepper

> About the only way I do pinto beans, is a recipe I got from the food network. It's pretty dang close to what was already posted. About the only difference is adding some red bell pepper to it, in the last hour of simmering.


Oh, and I like green and red peppers too.  Will have to try that.  Thanks!!

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## edr730

If you don't care for anything like pinto, northern or navy beans you might try black beans.
Some people may put the soup in a blender or put some rice in it, but the tradional way is to cook the black beans with onions, salt, pepper, cilantro, butter or pork fat and often peppers. When it's done you either drop eggs or pork rinds into it depending on what region it comes from. 
Another way I like bean soup would be similar to the recipe that pete lynch has but with a bit more water. You make unsweetened white cornbread, place on the plate and pour the soup over top of it. I usually eat too much of this bean soup made in this way,

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## Lamewolf

Slow cooker + pinto beans + smoked ham hocks = heavenly meal.  Add fried cornbread and fried taters and its all complete !

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## LowKey

These are great with Hot Dogs, Ham or any kind of BBQ.

Real stick-to-yer-ribs Yankee Baked Beans

1lb of dry beans (I use Roman or Jacob's Cattle but you can use any type of baking bean)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2tsp salt
2tsp dried mustard
About 1tsp of ginger (usually just shake it in and don't measure.)
1 large onion Chopped in large pieces.
1 package salt pork or bacon ends

Wash and sort beans (the number of small stones you find can be surprising.)
Soak beans covered with +1" of water, in a pot you can use on the stovetop. Don't refrigerate. Leave em out on the counter. Don't drain.
Next morning, add water to beans to cover them again + 1" of water.
Add salt pork or bacon end and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occassionally. If you hate bean smell, this will be the worst part.
Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix gently. Do not remove salt pork or bacon.
Pour everything into a baking dish with a cover and cook at 350° for 5 to 6 hours checking occasionally after the second hour that they haven't boiled dry.
First serving may be a little watery, but if you let them set a bit, the juice will thicken. Second day beans are the best.

Or you can soak the beans all day, boil them, then throw them in a slow oven (250°) overnight. But you still might want to check they don't boil dry.

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## Rick

Before you ask for recipes you might want to find a bean that suits your taste buds. There are over 40,000 bean varieties so I'm sure there is one or two that you could eat. Have you tried Edamame (Eda may me')? It's a specific type of soybean and doesn't taste like other beans. You don't even need a recipe to fix them. Boil in salt water or steam them and eat. Easy peasy and they taste great.

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## tundrabadger

I've been looking for good recipes for dried beans as well...does anybody have one  that doesn't involve pork?

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## RkyMntPrepper

> Before you ask for recipes you might want to find a bean that suits your taste buds. There are over 40,000 bean varieties so I'm sure there is one or two that you could eat. Have you tried Edamame (Eda may me')? It's a specific type of soybean and doesn't taste like other beans. You don't even need a recipe to fix them. Boil in salt water or steam them and eat. Easy peasy and they taste great.


Hey, thank you for the suggestion.  I will look into this.  You are right, out of 40,000 varieties (I didn't know this) I should come up with at least a few that work for me.

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## LowKey

You can leave the pork out of mine. Doesn't do any harm.

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## tundrabadger

Does it matter what kind of sugar you use?  Because my instinct is saying brown sugar.  Also, do you think that would work in the slow cooker?  It'd help to save on electricity versus having the oven running all day.

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## pete lynch

The recipe I posted could be done without hamhocks. 
Smoked turkey or bacon would be good too.

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## LowKey

Depends on how much you like molasses Tundrabadger. Brown sugar also has a molasses flavor so you'd be doubling down. 
Yes, works in a slow cooker. Usually when I'm doing Baked Beans I'm doing a bunch of other things while the oven is on. Bread, crackers or pie usually, sometimes cooking bones for soup (I roast them in the oven before boiling if they are just soup bones rather than leftovers,) so not wasting the electric. If I'm doing an overnight bake, it's always in the winter. In summer I'll do the beans out in the smoker when doing a low and slow roast of something.

Ok, does anyone have a good recipe for Refried Beans?

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## RkyMntPrepper

Thank You to everyone who has offered suggestions and recipes for the beans.  I think I can do this and based on some of the suggestions this should be a very tasty experience.  :clap:   Thank you again, one and all!!!!!

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## pete lynch

Here is the recipe for Dick Proenneke's bean stew (as documented by biologist Will Troyer)




> 4 cups small navy beans
> boil 15-20 minutes and then discard the water
> dice 2 potatoes and add to beans
> cover with water and bring to low boil until tender
> add 1-2 TBS of Worcestershire sauce to taste
> garlic salt to taste
> 1-2 tsp of chili powder
> black pepper to taste
> dash of cayenne pepper
> ...


I transcribed this from the book "The Early Years" The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1967-1973
Edited by John Branson. 
I have never tried this recipe but I'd like to hear if anyone else has.  :Chef:

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## sjj

.......................................

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## tundrabadger

> Depends on how much you like molasses Tundrabadger. Brown sugar also has a molasses flavor so you'd be doubling down. 
> Yes, works in a slow cooker. Usually when I'm doing Baked Beans I'm doing a bunch of other things while the oven is on. Bread, crackers or pie usually, sometimes cooking bones for soup (I roast them in the oven before boiling if they are just soup bones rather than leftovers,) so not wasting the electric. If I'm doing an overnight bake, it's always in the winter. In summer I'll do the beans out in the smoker when doing a low and slow roast of something.
> 
> Ok, does anyone have a good recipe for Refried Beans?


I DO enjoy molasses.   But without the saltiness of the bacon,  maybe  I don't want quite that much molasses flavour, you're right.

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## Rollicks

I love navy beans. I wash them and I soak them overnight and rinse them again. They cook better and are much more tender that way. Many Beans are toxic if they are not cooked thoroughly.

I cook them with reconstituted beef jerky, or bacon. 

Red Ground pepper, onion and garlic are good additions.

Throw in your favorite bbq sauce, either one you make or one you buy.

If I want it a little sweeter I throw in some pineapple juice. Not tangy enough? Add some cider vinegar. Autolyzed yeast has some of the same nutritional value as meat and veg as it is a fungi. So, if you don't have access to meat, but want the same flavor/nutrition, I would go with that.

The best way to cook it is low and slow, I use a dutch oven for mine.  This is a good time to experiment too. Cook the beans and add a little of your favorite things, taste, ask if it needs something, add, taste, ask, repeat until good or hungry (hunger = best spice because it makes everything taste good! That's why they make you wait so long at fancy restaurants). It also helps if you have someone there to taste with you. Cooking can be a fun activity that you can share with the people around you. I think that the beans taste better when you develop the flavor profile over time.

Experiment with lentils. Lentils are easy. They're good in any stew or broth. They readily soak up any flavor from the broth, don't need a lot of time to cook because they are small and the texture is like pasta. I usually include them in my beef barley stew. 

Oh and my favorite lentil is Moong Dal aka Mung Dahl or Mung bean. It's a very versatile bean. You can use it in stews, steamed with rice, ground into a flour for breads, mixed into a dip. You can slip them into virtually any dish and not even know that they're there.

I understand not liking beans though. My grandma used to only make us beans and rice, day in and day out. I didn't like it to begin with and I didn't like having to eat it every day, but I never blamed the beans. Grandma could burn water (sorry grandma). If only she could have taken a page from taco bell, they have 40 or 50 ways of making the same (can I say damn here? It's not a swear, I swear!) thing with beans and people swear that Taco A is better than Taco B. So, I would say, try preparing them in different ways until you find a way you like as well as trying different recipes. 

I almost forgot about Red Adzuki beans! These guys are used in desserts. It's got a buttery, earthy sweet flavor. 

Wheww. Sorry for the long post.

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## Rollicks

Oh and if you're smoking a turkey or a brisket, let it drip into your beans while they are in the smoker. Ho yeah!

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## 2dumb2kwit

> I've been looking for good recipes for dried beans as well...does anybody have one  that doesn't involve pork?


 Sorry, I can't help with that. I'm a country boy, from the South. _Everything_ involves pork. Hahahaha

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## Tami/TX

We enjoy beans here. Usually slow simmered. Due to dietary constraints of S/O, I don't add pork. As pointed out...... There are many different types of beans and many different ways to cook them. Have you tried chili with beans? Could be a starting point. Experiment with seasonings. 

It is suggested not to add high acidic foods to beans until they are mostly cooked (acidic ingredients are said to inhibit cooking). We can up beans here as well (pints = 75 minutes at appropriate PRESSURE for your altitude). When canning, you can add acidic ingredients even if doing raw pack.

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## Tami/TX

Soups and so forth might be a decent place to start! Might be easier to start with some small (the smaller the better!) cans of beans.  Or cook up a small amount....... Then add a SMALL amount to, let's say a veggie soup (white beans could be yummy there).

Here is a recipe suggestion:

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned OR a pint of home canned ground beef
1 15-16 ounce can/jar tomatoes
1 15-16 ounce can/jar pinto beans
2 15-16 ounce cans/jars ranch type beans
1 15-16 ounce can/jar corn 
1 12-16 ounce can/jar tomatoes with green chili
1 package dry ranch dressing mix (OPTIONAL - I do not add)

Combine all cans/jars (liquid included). Add additional liquid if necessary. Heat until hot. Can top with cheese, sour cream etc.

I have been known to make a double or triple batch of this and then can it (75 minutes for pints at appropriate pressure for your altitude) for my truck driving S/O.

I have also thought that a can/jar (or even fresh/frozen!) green beans (or maybe peas?) might be a decent addition.

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## Tami/TX

> I've been looking for good recipes for dried beans as well...does anybody have one  that doesn't involve pork?


Keep in mind...... The various pork additions (usually smoked) are for flavor. However.......... The WONDERFUL news if you want the flavor without the pork (I deal with this here) you **can** substitute! A smoked turkey leg in place of a ham hock can work! Beef (preferred) or turkey bacon instead of pork bacon! Be creative!

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## kappydell

You might try lentils.  No soaking, they cook in 30 min or so, and when combined with rice and hamburger (if you have it) taste 'meatier' than some other kinds of beans.  
My late hubs loved them.  They also mash well.  One caveat though...add a little lemon juice to the finished beans, or some ketchup or salsa.  Some folks think they taste muddy, and added acidic ingredients puts an end to that.  The first way I made them for hubs to try, I made them this way:

Lentils & Rice
1 c dry lentils
1 cup white rice
5 cups water
chopped onion, if you have it, otherwise onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
salsa if you want it
Bring the water to a boil; add lentils.  Cook 20 min.  Add rice, cook another 20 min until rice is tender and lentils are soft.  While the rice & lentils cook, saute the onions until at least tender, preferably caramelized and browned.  When time is up, open lentils & rice, drain off excess liquid (if any) stir in onions.  Season to taste.  Let diners add salsa at the table to suit their taste buds.  We did not use salsa the first time and they were still tasty.  You can add crumbled browned hamburger if you like, for those who want meat in their 'casserole'.  Just brown it with the onions, and stir in at the end.

Crock pot Pintos & Spuds
1-2 potatoes, washed and cut in chunks (I leave skin on)
1-2 cups pinto beans (depending on how many you are feeding)
Water
Ham bouillon
Pepper to taste
I usually use 1 potato to each 1/2 cup dry pintos.  Soak the beans ahead of time; put in crock pot with water to cover plus 2 inches.  Add potatoes and ham bouillon.   
Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours or so.  Taste and add pepper to taste.  If you use Idaho (baking) potatoes, they tend to break down in the crock pot, so if you want them to retain their shape, use boiling or all purpose potatoes.  You can eat this as a stew, or boil off any 'excess' water.  With the bouillon in there, I usually eat it as a soup/stew as the pot liquor is delicious, too.  You can add sliced carrots as a variation; mixed veggies if you want more of a mixed veggie stew.  

Don't forget, you can mash cooked beans to give them a decidedly non-beany texture....refried beans, for example;  White beans, mashed well, will thicken a chicken soup delightfully while 'hiding' in the broth.  

Butter Beans are also popular with non-beany folks...at least the way I make 'em:
2 cups large lima beans, soaked overnight 
Water to cover plus 2 inches
Chicken bouillon powder, 1 tsp per cup of water used (don't put it in in the beginning)
1/2 stick butter or good-tasting margarine
Cook those soaked beans, either by simmering slowly or putting in the crock pot.  When nearly done (almost soft but not quite) drain off enough of the cooking water so they are sloshy, but not swimming, and stir in the bouillon to taste, and the butter.  Stir, and finish cooking.  The butter & bouillon do something to those beans, and they hide the 'beany flavor' some folks don't like.  

If all else, maybe chili-beans?

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## Manwithnoname

> Slow cooker + pinto beans + smoked ham hocks = heavenly meal.  Add fried cornbread and fried taters and its all complete !


That's my fav bean recipie too. Also good with greens or Polk salad. Red beans and rice runs a very close second.

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