Slow Cooker Bean-Hole Beans

Slow Cooker Bean-Hole Beans - 2 Guiding Stars

Active Time

10 min.

Total Time

11 hours 45 min.

Servings

6 (308 g)

Bean-hole beans are an American tradition dating back to the Native American technique of baking beans with bear fat and maple syrup buried in clay pots under coals. This recipe is designed for the modern day bean hole: the slow cooker. Relying on Guiding Stars-earning chicken sausage for a dose of animal fat and a touch of molasses for sweetness, you can carry on your family’s Saturday tradition with a healthier spin.

Ingredients

1 lb. dried navy or great northern beans
1 tsp. canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
½ lb. Guiding Star-worthy chicken sausage, sliced into disks
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. thyme leaves
Pinch of crushed red pepper
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup tomato puree
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
3 cups boiling water
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Place beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak overnight, 8 hours minimum. If you don’t have time to let them stand overnight, boil with a half-gallon of water for 2 minutes and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
Drain and rinse beans. Place in slow cooker.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sausage. Cook until onions are softened and light golden and sausage is browned on the outside, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add to the beans.
Add molasses, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and mustard to the beans; stir to combine. Add boiling water and top with bay leaves.
Cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 4 1/2 hours on high or about 11 hours on low. Remove the bay leaves. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 380; Total Fat 4g (5% Daily Value); Saturated Fat 0.5g (3% DV); Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 14mg (5% DV); Sodium 360mg (16% DV); Total Carbohydrate 64g (23% DV); Dietary Fiber 12.5g (46% DV); Total Sugars 16g; Includes 11g Added Sugars (22% DV); Protein 26g; Vitamin D 0% DV; Calcium 15% DV; Iron 35% DV; Potassium 25% DV; Copper 90% DV; Folate 70% DV; Manganese 60% DV.