Baked Beans...Finally!

I have a confession to make.  I can turn-out a Thanksgiving feast for 30 people, bake complex desserts and even dabble in candy-making with great success.  However, I can't for the life of me cook dried beans.

That's right.  Those little suckers, cheaper than chips at a little over a buck a pound and more nutritious than just about anything, stump me every...darned...time.  I've read most of what there is to read on the subject and no matter what I do, they either explode into mush or turn out crunchy in the center after cooking all day long.  Salt, don't salt.  Add a pinch of baking soda.  Pre-soak, or toss them in dry.  Pressure cooker, slow cooker, stove-top.  Doesn't matter...I miss the boat every time.

This is a tragedy, really, because I love me a big 'ole pot of Boston-style baked beans with a summer picnic and opening a can of Bush's or B&M just doesn't satisfy me.  However, I'm pleased to announce that I've finally cracked the code.  This recipe has proven to work for me three times now as I fine-tuned the flavors and I'm happy enough to publish it.

So without further ado...

Boston-Style Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker

1lb dried beans (see head note)
3 cups water
1/4 cup real maple syrup
3 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup Bottled BBQ Sauce
1/2 onion, sliced (about 1 cup)

Choosing Beans - My family has traditionally made these with Navy beans, a small white bean.  Sometimes, they're labeled "small white beans".  However, I've also used pink/light-brown pinto beans and canellini beans with great success.  If you like a larger bean, go with it.  You can even mix them.

The Secret - The secret to perfect baked beans for me turned out to be the "quick soak" method described below.  For some reason I can't explain, an overnight soak just doesn't work for me.  Perhaps it's my water or perhaps I'm not using enough water.  I also have had better luck with beans from the Whole Foods bulk bin than supermarket bagged beans.  I suspect it has to do with the age of the beans.  For whatever reason, the quick soak method levels the playing field and it comes out great.

[EDIT: Since developing this recipe, I've had the quick soak fail on me several times and I've ended-up with gritty beans.  I'm still not exactly sure why, but I suspect our well water's pH might just be too high and depending on where you source your beans, they can be stale or extra-dry.  I now recommend cooking the beans at a simmer on the stove until just tender before putting-together the rest of the recipe in the slow cooker.  I realize that's a little more hands-on than I originally intended, but until I find a better method, that's how we'll keep this.]

1) Sort through the beans, picking-out any rocks, sticks, or any bean that doesn't look good.  Place into a saucepan with enough water to cover by 1-2 inches.

2) Bring beans to a boil.  Boil exactly 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.  This is called the "quick soak" method.

3) Drain and rinse the beans.  Add them to your slow cooker.

4) Add the remaining ingredients except for the water to the slow cooker.

5) Add enough water so that it stands 1 to 2 inches above the the beans.

6) Cook covered on low 8 to 12 hours.  Beans should be tender and should have absorbed most of the water, leaving the remaining liquid syrupy.  If all water disappears during cooking, add water a cup at a time.

Note: This can be done on high instead of low heat, though in my experience the results aren't the same.  It will likely still take at least 6+ hours to cook and the beans are more likely to split.  Also, the sauce won't get quite as syrupy as if you'd done them on low.

Unique Grilling Methods

Make no mistake about it...it's the heart of grilling season.  When the fresh local veggies start showing up on the tables at the farmer's market and the temperature hits the 80's and 90's, I start to look for ways to not have to cook indoors.  I try to find ways to cook on the grill.

Foil Packets - One of my stand-by grilling methods is steaming in foil packets (see my post from last year for a great how-to).  If you're looking to steam something or cook it quickly without getting any charring, this is the way to go.  I've even been known to cook frozen veggies this way.  Just toss some veggies or fish (or both) into a packet with some seasonings and maybe a flavorful liquid (or a veggie that will exude liquid) and you're off and running.  I learned the trick itself from my Mom and the fancy packet folding method from an Jamie Oliver episode.

Skillet-on-the-Grill - A second method I love is to put a cast iron skillet directly onto the grill and use it as you would on your stove inside.  Most people don't consider the fact that the grill is nothing more than an over sized gas stove burner.  The only difference is that it's a little harder to regulate the heat, so choose fast-cooking methods like stir-frying.

Grilled Pizza and Flatbread - I LOVE the grill for pizza, naan, and making cheesy toast or garlic bread.  If you're looking for that brick-oven flavor without actually having a brick oven, the grill is the way to go.


The Grill as an Oven - If you happen to have a cast iron dutch oven, you can actually bake or roast on your grill.  Just be sure to turn the flame down low.  A covered pot creates a perfect steaming environment that will cook a large hunk of meat (like a chicken) in less time and keep it juicy and tender.  An open pot will let the dry air circulate onto the food and brown it.

I hope this post shows that your grill is way more flexible than steaks, burgers, and dogs.  You can cook just about any meal on the grill.  It'll keep the kitchen cool and you can enjoy the outdoors even more in the summer.

A Nice Side Dish: Pattypan Squash

One of the foods I look forward to the most at the farmer's markets each year is Pattypan Squash or "Pattypans."  Usually found in both yellow and green varieties, they taste pretty much like regular zucchini and summer squash except sometimes a little sweeter.  They're uniquely shaped like an acorn and look like a flower with petals when viewed from the top.

I've seen them as small as 2-inches wide and as large as a grapefruit.  The small ones can be halved for cooking or even cooked whole while the larger ones are best sliced or cubed.  They can be cooked pretty much the same as ordinary summer squash and zucchini.  Here's my favorite way of preparing them:

Foil-Pillow Steamed Pattypan Squash
(Can also be made with standard green and yellow summer squash)

1) Tear-off about a 36 inch (1 yard) long piece of aluminum foil (or as far as your arms can reach comfortably).  Fold it in half end-to-end once, dull sides together.  Fold it in half end-to-end again.  Neatly crimp both sides so that you end-up with a pocket with the widest-side being open.  If using heavy-duty foil, you'll only need half of it and can get away with a single fold.

2) Slice your pattypans into 1/2-inch slices or chunks.  Optionally, slice a half of an onion into large petals or seed and juice one tomato and cut into large chunks.

3) Place vegetables into the foil pocket.  Add a teaspoon of olive oil, some salt and freshly ground black pepper.  If you like, add some chopped herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, or parsley.

4) Crimp the final side of the packet neatly, making it as airtight as possible.  Moosh (that's a technical term) the veggies around gently inside the packet to coat them with the oil and seasoning.

5) Place packet directly onto the grate of a hot grill or onto the rack of a 350 degree oven.  Allow to cook on one side 7-10 minutes.  When you return, the packet should have puffed-up.  This is good--it means that the veggies are steaming.  Using a pair of tongs, turn the packet over so that the veggies cook evenly and don't burn on one side.

6) Cook another 5-10 minutes.  The veggies are done when you press gently on the foil packet with the tongs and you can feel that the contents has begun to soften.  Remove from the grill before completely soft.

7) Immediately open the packet with a knife, being careful to not to burn yourself on the steam.  Pour into a serving bowl and enjoy.

'Tis the Season...for Pick-Your-Own

One of the most wonderful things about summer is that you can get great deals on berries and fruits by picking them yourself at "Pick-Your-Own" farms.  Plus, it's a fantastic family outing at the same time.

Here in New England, we've already had a great strawberry season (good thing after last year's soggy mess) and we're moving quickly into blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry season.  I didn't personally get out to get strawberries but I'm not going to miss the blueberries--however hot it usually is when they're ready to pick.

Many folks like to go out and pick berries but don't know what to do with the abundance they bring home.  Strawberries, in particular, go from great to mush very quickly.  Here are a few ideas for storing and serving.

• Make Refrigerator Jam - Most people assume that making jam is difficult and that it requires a lot of fancy equipment.  The truth is that if you make a small batch and use very clean containers, you can keep it in the fridge for a few months in an ordinary plastic leftovers container.  No canning or special equipment involved!
• Freeze Them - If you have the freezer space, most berries freeze pretty well to be used later in the year in baked goods or for a summer-tasting treat.  Freeze blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in a single layer on a large baking sheet (uncovered).  As soon as they're hard like marbles, transfer them to a zip-top bag and put into the back of the freezer far from the door so they don't accumulate  moisture and freezer burn.  Strawberries need to be washed, thoroughly dried, hulled, and cut into quarters.  Place the quarters into quart-sized zip-top bags and freeze.  The defrosted result will be a little mushy, but it's perfect as a cheesecake topping, waffle/pancake topping, or for mid-winter strawberry shortcake.
• Make and Freeze Pie Filling - This is a neat trick.  Prepare your favorite berry pie filling.  Instead of filling a pie, line a pie plate with plastic wrap and spray lightly with nonstick spray.  Pour cooled filling into the pie plate.  Freeze until solid and, using the plastic wrap as a sling, remove the frozen "pie" from the plate.  Wrap in several layers of plastic and foil and keep frozen.  When you want to use it, prepare your pastry crust, drop-in the frozen berry slab, and add the top crust.  Bake as usual.
• Make Juice - If you happen to have a juicer or a food mill or even a wire mesh strainer, you can make juice.  Puree the berries in a food processor and add a little hot water to loosen it up.  Add to a sauce pan and bring mixture up to a boil.  Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let it cool.  Strain through a food mill or strainer and pour into containers to freeze.  In the winter, you can add this juice to some freshly brewed iced tea, lemonade, or add sugar and drink it straight-up.
• Dry Them -  If you happen to have a food dehydrator, dried berries can be awesome additions to salads and they can be re-hydrated with a little warm water and added to muffins and pancakes and other treats.  You can even make "fruit leather," a homemade equivalent to fruit roll-ups.  Scour the Internet for recipes.

As I come up with more ideas, I'll be sure to share them here.

A Home-Grown Campfire

Another nice thing about living in a rural area is that you have the space to safely have a small camp fire pit.  The previous owners of our home had a tipi (don't ask me why) set upon a bed of crushed stone in the backyard and the remnants of the fire pit from the tipi could be seen in the center.

On Father's Day weekend, I dug a larger hole and lined it with some hefty stones that we've been pulling from the flower beds around the property to build us a proper fire campfire pit for evenings of roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores.

We used it that night...just the two of us.  It was nice, romantic, and just all-around reminiscent of the slow pace of camping (which we probably won't get to do much of this year).

Don't you just love the simple pleasures of summer?