BOSTON BAKED BEANS, CHUCK WAGON BEAN DINNER and BEER BREAD OR CHEDDAR CHEESE BISCUITS

Not too long ago I researched Navy beans for my Navy Bean & Ham soup. During that research I also found that navy beans, named that for the bean of choice of the U.S. Navy, are the main bean used in Boston Baked Beans. I have been making my BBQ Bean dinner for years using canned BUSH beans, but decided it was time to make true Boston Baked Beans my way. I found that most versions used salt pork, but I like the bacon too so I chose to use both. You could substitute if your prefer though. I also eliminated all mustard due to an allergy, but also because I prefer the sweeter version.

Here are my versions:

BOSTON BAKED BEAN DINNER
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 pound salt pork, cubed & browned
2 large Vidalia or Maui onion, chopped small
4 tablespoons liquid smoke
1 cup ketchup
1 cup molasses
3 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup vinegar
1 pound navy beans

  • Soak beans overnight.
  • Brown hamburger, drain and layer into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Cube and brown the salt pork. Add to slow cooker.
  • Fry bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon into pieces. Add to slow cooker.
  • Chop onion into small pieces and scatter over the meat.
  • Add the beans to the slow cooker.
  • Scatter the brown sugar over top evenly.
  • Stir together the molasses, ketchup, vinegar, liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce. Pour evenly over everything in the slow cooker slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  • Serve with Beer Bread or Cheddar Cheese Biscuits.
  • Great dish for a church pot luck.

CHUCK WAGON BEAN DINNER aka POTLUCK VERSION
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound bacon
1 large onion, chopped small
2 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 cup ketchup
3 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
4 large cans Bush maple flavored baked beans

  • Brown hamburger and then drain. 
  •  Fry bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon into pieces. 
  • Add to the remaining ingredients in slow cooker. 
  • Cook on low for 5-7 hours. 
  • Serve with beer bread or cheddar cheese biscuits. 
  • Great dish for a church pot luck.

OLD FASHIONED BOSTON BAKED BEANS
1 pound Navy beans, washed and sorted
1/2 pound salt pork, diced small
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup PURE maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses

  • Dice salt pork and layer on bottom of slow cooker.
  • Chop onion and scatter over salt pork pieces.
  • Wash and sort beans.
  • Place beans in slow cooker on top of salt pork.
  • Cover with 5 cups water.
  • Cook on low overnight for 12 hours.
  • Drain beans, reserving liquid.
  • Return beans to slow cooker.
  • Add vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup and molasses and blend well.
  • Add in 1/2 cup of bean water as desired for consistency.
  • Heat through for an hour or so.
This is sooooooooooooo simple, but don’t tell the family. They’ll think you worked all day on fresh baked bread.
BEER BREAD

3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
12 oz. beer (Budweiser works well)
1 stick butter, melted

  • Mix flour, sugar, salt and beer together. 
  • Add a couple of ounces of the butter. 
  • Knead together uniformly, but do not over work. 
  • Form into a well greased loaf pan. 
  • Pour remaining butter over top of loaf. 
  • Bake for 1 hour. 
  • Serve hot with soup.

CHEDDAR CHEESE BREAD or BISCUITS

2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons poppy, celery OR caraway seeds (Your Choice)
1 egg
1 cup milk

Combine Bisquick and seeds and mix well. Add cheese and mix again. Whisk egg and milk together. Gradually add egg mixture to Bisquick mixture and mix until well blended. Spoon into a well grease loaf pan and bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. If making biscuits either spoon drop onto a well greased cookie sheet or use a mini-muffin pan.