White Beans and Slab Bacon
This recipe offers two ways to cook...long and slow over a campfire, or
quick in today's kitchen with a pressure cooker.
1 pound dry white beans, washed and picked over
6 cups water
1 onion, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, slivered
1/2 pound or so of salt pork or bacon, one chunk if possible
2 red-ripe tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
If cooking conventionally, soak the beans in 4 cups of water overnight.
Next day, drain and discard the soaking water and place the soaked
beans, 6 cups of water, onion, garlic, and salt pork or bacon in large
stew pot or cast iron kettle. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook,
covered, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain the
beans if there is a lot of liquid remaining unless you wish to serve
them more like a soup. If depends so much on the beans as to how much
liquid will be left. Remove the bacon and cut into chunks. Set aside. To
the beans, add the tomato, salt, and pepper and simmer 10 minutes. In
meantime, brown the bacon in a small heavy bottomed skillet. Stir bacon
and drippings into the beans. Correct seasoning and serve. To cook in a
pressure cooker: Do not soak the beans. Put beans, water, onion, garlic,
and bacon or salt pork in pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure,
reduce heat, and cook at a steady pressure for 25 minutes. Allow to come
down from pressure naturally, will take about 10 minutes. When ready,
open pressure cooker and remove the bacon. Add tomatoes, salt, and
pepper and heat gently. Cook bacon as instructed above and add bacon and
drippings to beans. Correct seasonings and serve.
Beans Main Dishes Pressure Cooker |
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