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The Hirshon Maine-style "Bean Hole" Beans

The Hirshon Maine-style “Bean Hole” Beans


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: The Generalissimo

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 10 cups dried Marfax beans, picked over, stones (if any) discarded – soak overnight, water discarded before using
  • 1 lb. heirloom salt pork
  • 2 1/2 onions, peeled
  • ***
  • The Hirshon baked bean dry seasoning blend:
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. powdered ramp (TFD optional addition)
  • 4 1/2 tsp. English-style dry hot mustard powder (I prefer Colman’s)
  • 3 1/2 tsp. Saltverk Birch Smoked Sea Salt, adjust salt to taste
  • 1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. powdered dried wild thyme flowers (TFD optional addition)
  • 1 tsp. powdered cloves (TFD addition, recommended)
  • 1 tsp. powdered allspice (TFD addition, recommended)
  • 1 tsp. powdered ginger (TFD addition, recommended)
  • 1/2 tsp. powdered star anise (TFD addition, recommended)
  • ***
  • The Hirshon baked bean liquid seasoning blend:
  • 1 1/2 cups unsulphured molasses (NOT blackstrap!)
  • 1 cup dark maple syrup (TFD CHANGE, original was all molasses)
  • 1/8 cup Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar with mother (TFD addition)
  • 6 dashes Maggi Wurze seasoning from Germany (wildly optional TFD addition, omit if you prefer)
  • 1/8 tsp. liquid hickory smoke (if needed)
  • 1/2 cup butter (TFD prefers KerryGold Irish)


Instructions

  1. The bean hole should be 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep, depending on your pot. The hole should be big enough around to have a 6 inch space between the pot and the edge of the hole on all sides. To help hold heat, put some old tire chains or stones in the hole before starting the fire.
  2. It’s important to use non-exploding stones, i.e. don’t use river rocks or rocks that have been submerged, as they can have water in them and will explode when heated. Your hole should be a foot wider and a foot deeper than your covered pot or Dutch oven. You lay a platform of dry logs across the hole and build a large fire…the coals will drop down in as it burns. You can build a second auxiliary fire to provide coals if needed, too.
  3. You need to keep the fire going 2-3 hours, adding kindling & wood until the stones are very hot and you have lots of hot coals. You then shovel aside 1/2 the coals, shove the pot in and place the rest of the coals on top and around your pot. Don’t let the hot stones touch your pot or they will burn the food inside.
  4. After the fire has been going for about an hour, place the beans in a large pot, on the stove with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until skins roll back when you blow on them, about 45 minutes. Watch closely, because they will get mushy if left too long.
  5. When the hole is ready, cut the salt pork into 2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick slices. Place them into the bottom of the bean pot. Peel and cut the onions in half; lay them on top of the pork. Pour the beans and their liquid into the pot, then mix in the molasses, and all the spices. Slice butter and place on top. Add enough boiling water to cover the beans by one inch. Cover the top of the pot tightly with aluminum foil so that it goes down over the sides by at least 2 inches. Place lid onto bean pot.
  6. Before putting the pot into the hole, remove about 1/3 of the coals using a shovel. Remove and discard any burning pieces of wood. Place the bean pot into the hole, and put the coals from the hole back in around the sides and over the top of the bean pot. Now start filling the hole in with the dirt, packing it down with your feet as you go. You should end up with about 2 feet of dirt covering the pot. Cover the place where the beans are buried with a tarp or piece of metal to keep out rain.
  7. Let the beans stew overnight in their bean hole. Carefully dig them out the next day and enjoy!
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