#southern baked beans

I had planned to post about these Southern Baked Beans before hearing of Leonard Nimoy’s passing. I was going to make a quip about how both Leonard McCoy and another great man both understood that there was “nothing like a campfire and a can of beans”. Instead, I think this dish acts as a great tribute to both Nimoy and the character of Spock, and perhaps most importantly, the friendship of Kirk, Spock and McCoy that defined The Original Series and gave us such hope for the future. 

This dish is of course an old McCoy family recipe, and having made it, I can see why it was passed down through the generations. While the film it appears in concentrates on more important questions (“What does God need with a starship?”), the camping scenes remind us of the core of Star Trek (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier). Many baked bean recipes use canned beans - this recipe uses dried beans that you soak overnight. The recipe is not difficult but will take a long time to cook, so bear that in mind when considering your timings. 

Vale Leonard Nimoy. Thankyou for helping to bring the world of Star Trek to us and reminding us of the possibilities. Travel far beyond the stars.

Replicate your own
(Serves at least 4 - more if you serve it as a side dish). 
(Based on this recipe but with alterations)

You will need to start the night before to soak the beans.

This recipe is very forgiving - all measurements are approximate.

500g / 1lb dried navy/haricot beans
300g / 2/3lb beef mince
200g / 1/2lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, diced
1-2 green capsicums, diced
½ cup brown sugar
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup molasses or golden syrup
2 cups beef stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Tennessee Whiskey (I used Jack Daniel’s), divided into two ½ cups. 

The night before you want to cook the dish, place the dried beans in a large bowl. Pick them over and remove any discoloured or small, extra hard ones. Cover the beans with enough water so they are all submerged and leave to soak overnight. 

The next day, drain the beans and rinse them through. Set them aside while you prepare the rest of the dish. Start by chopping all your vegetables and measuring out your ingredients and preheat your oven to 150°C / 300°F.

In an oven-safe casserole dish or large cooking pot, place the diced bacon and cook gently until the bacon has released its fat and has started to crisp up. If you have a lot of fat you can drain some off - I didn’t, so I left it all in there.

Add the beef mince and break up, cooking it in the bacon fat until it is browned. Add everything to the pot with the bacon and beef: the drained beans, onion and capsicum, brown sugar, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, mustard, molasses/golden syrup and the beef stock / water. Stir it gently together.

Add ½ cup of Whiskey and stir in. Cover the pot either with the oven-safe lid or with aluminium foil, and place in the oven for a minimum of 2 hours. 

After the 2 hours is up, take the beans out of the oven and test for flavourings. Add the black pepper, and if required, the salt. Take the lid off the pot and return to the oven for another hour or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.

To serve, stir in the remaining ½ cup of Whiskey and ladle into bowls. Best eaten around a campfire with good friends.