Bean Hole Beans
Now, this is a process…Bean Hole Beans take
two to three days to create, but they are definitely
worth the effort. It’s an old fashioned method,
and one that is seen in a lot of different cultures
(cooking in heated ground). Since it is up to the
individual cook as to what size of container of
beans to make, we are presenting this recipe to
you as a guide rather than a ‘hard rule.’ This is a
great recipe for family reunions or group get-
togethers…that way there’s always someone
around to watch the fire. I’ve also seen it used to
good effect at Girl Scout outings and re-creationist
events.
Requirements/Equipment:
1. You need a good fire pit. The pit needs to be
deep enough to hold the container you choose to
cook your beans in fairly snugly after it has been
lined with rocks.
2. Rock the fire pit. The rocks should probably be
at least a couple of inches thick. It doesn’t have
to be special rock…just rock that can be used to
line the hole. These rocks are what are going to
do the actual cooking. Make sure you have a good
thick, solid, flat rock for the bottom. Make sure
the bottom is fairly level or your beans will spill.
Equipment:
Firewood cut to fit into the cooking hole – a good
bit of it
Cast Iron dutch oven (other types can be used,
but we always did it with cast iron)
Patience
Ingredients:
Mixture of your favorite beans (read the
package…many beans require that they be soaked
overnight to soften them for cooking…). Pinto,
kidney, red, etc. We normally did a mix. There
are some great “pre-mixed” bean mixes on the
market today too.
Brown Sugar – from 2 Tblsp to 2 cups…how sweet
do you like them?
Molasses – from 2 Tblsp to ½ cup…go easy, but
sure helps the flavor
Mustard – we used specialty mustards to give it
extra zing
Ketchup – ¼ to 1 cup depending on your tastes –
the more ketchup, the “sharper” the flavor
Onion – chopped fine and lightly sautéed until
golden in color
Garlic – pressed or chopped fine – a little goes a
LONG way!
Process:
1. Soak your beans (be very careful about the salt
issue – read the bean bag)
Soaking usually is done overnight.
2. Start a fire in the fire pit early in the day you
start the beans to soak. Keep the fire going all
day and stoke it with green wood during the night
so that it retains its heat. (We used to sit shifts on
who was watching the fire.)
3. The next morning keep the fire going good and
hot while you combine all your ingredients. Rinse
the beans, add all the other ingredients and mix
well. If needed, add a little extra water so that
the mixture is thin. (You won’t be stirring during
the cooking process so make sure you mix and stir
the ingredients very well.) Seal the container (we
put a double aluminum foil “seal” around the lid).
4. Around noon, allow the fire to burn down to
coals. Spread the coals around the hole evenly.
Place the bean pot down into the firepit. Fill in the
hole (there shouldn’t be much fill in…the hole
should be made to just fit the bean pot after lining it
with rock). This is the hard part – keep a watch
for fire, but leave it alone overnight.
5. The next day (it should remain undisturbed for
at least 12 hours), dig up the hole. The rocks,
which had become super-heated from the fire in the
hole, retain their heat and transfer it to the bean
pot. Think of this as your “mother–earth slow
cooker” recipe. If the beans have cooled, you
can easily warm them up on the stove, but I never
remember having to do it…Dad always had to use
the poker and hot pads to get the pot out of the
hole!
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