Cooking soup beans in cast iron

[General Brown]

My 16 yo ds informed me last night that he was hungry for ham and beans.
Im off work today with the stupid stomache flu ( altho feeling MUch better than the last 2 days). Can I cook the beans in my cast iron dutch oven?
Anyone with a good recipe would be much appreciated also.

Thanks

[General Brown]

c'mon, I KNOW there are alot of great cooks here.

[marvella]

yes, however, they will be a slightly different color. some of the darkness from the pot seems to turn them dark. nothing wrong with them and taste fine. and you get a boost of iron from it.

[james dilley]

Don't forget to make A pan of cornbread to go with the soup beans, But by all means use the cast iron pot/dutch oven to cook them in.

[General Brown]

Yep, the corn bread and chopped onions will come later.

Believe it or not, this is my first attempt at ham and beans. Mom always made the best and she is 3 hours away so this 49 year old man is trying.

The Great Northen bag said to bring the beans to a boil for 2 minutes, remove and cover for 1 hour and then return to heat and add ham bones, pieces, etc. I removed and covered at 10:50.

I will let yall know how they come out!

[bluegrass1]

Well, ds, let me know how they turn out.

[bluegrass1]

Remember when you were first married, your wife put 2 lbs. beans in a small crock pot, and left them overnight? LOL

[General Brown]

Originally Posted by bluegrass1

Remember when you were first married, your wife put 2 lbs. beans in a small crock pot, and left them overnight? LOL

Oh yea, thats why I didnt want to try this myself!!

I remember the lid of the crockpot was sticking up about 5 inches higher than the rim of the crock pot!!!!

Oh, and just to keep me in the clear here...I asked your advice, you told me and then stated you were going to town. I just wanted some backup help incase things went wrong while you were gone.

Luv ya mom....

[Horse Fork Farm]

uummmm.......
Now I gotta put a pot of beans on because my tummy is grumbling over this post. I already thawed out some cube steak to make Swiss steak for tonight-what am I gonna do now? (grins)

[fishhead]

I like mine with vinegar after they are cooked.

[General Brown]

I added 4 big chunky strips of pork ribs and cut some meat off of a ham bone for good measure. I didnt have room in that big ol pot for the other bones!

I have been cooking them at a strong simmer/low boil for a bit over an hour now, with the lid on. I stir them every 10-15 minutes or so, and the smell is awesome!!!! I can smell it in every room of the house.

At first I was cautious about them sticking, but the dutch oven is doing a super job!!

I wish I could send the smell over the net...it is really smelling great. (but not as good as mom's, of course)

[NCLee]

Sounds like you're doing great with your pot of beans.

Couple of tips, if you don't mind.

As soon as your beans are done, go ahead and remove them from the DO. Give your DO a quick cleanup and yes, if it's well seasoned you can use a light dose of dish soap. Just rinse well. Finish drying your DO over heat and give it a very thin coating of cooking oil.

Letting liquid type foods sit in a DO can start to harm the seasoning. Amount depends on the amount of time and the amount of acid (tomatoes, etc.) in the recipe. Cleaning soon after cooking will help ensure your non-stick interior is still intack the next time you use it.

If you already know this stuff, just ignore my post and enjoy your great meal. Wish I were coming for supper. LOL

Lee

[General Brown]

Wow, they are some of the best Ham and Beans I have ever ate.....except for Mom's.

The cornbread turned out great, also.

Gonna take a nap, now.

[NeHomesteader]

Glad your ham and beans turned out. That is what i'm having tonight, only not cooked in the dutch oven...lol. Anyway,i'm sure they will be great anyhow. Cornbread sounds wonderful. Dawn

[NeHomesteader]

Forgot to add that I made homemade farmhouse crackers and bread pudding to go with these.