SMF

Squire, I think what we commonly call corn bread is more accurately corn cake. Lots of good information there, all new to me. Thanks!

- Murray

Interesting discussion. Being from the northern "wheat states" this is entirely new to me.

I'll need to look for white corn to grind to experiment with.

I purchased the white meal yesterday. Next time I bake it I will eliminate the sugar in the recipe and leave all the other ingredients the same. Looking forward to trying real "southern cornbread".

OK Guys,
I have done some research (of course, you can believe every thing you see on the internet ) and have decided: most northern (yankee) cornbread contains more sugar than my recipe in the original post, as much as 1/4 to 1/2 cups of sugar. Also, the wheat flour is increased to the point that it is at least half of the dry ingredients. This would yield a cake-like batter so I guess we could call it "corn cake". On the other hand, my recipe contains only one tablespoon of sugar, enough to provide flavor rather than pure sweetness. I still believe that my recipe yields true cornbread. I'll try the white meal but continue to add the sugar to see what I end up with. I rest my case!

Hi Basil -

I look forward to further reports about your experiments!

- Murray

I've never had cornbread, white, yellow or blue, but you've peaked my interest. The subject recipe seems quite straight forward so I'll give it a try. Can't say that I'd like cornbread with baked beans though; I like my beans on their own.

Bryan, if my simple recipe causes you to try something new then I will be very pleased. I hope you will enjoy cornbread. I suggest a spread of butter with a bit of honey. Enjoy!

Another twist which was fairly common in my youth was to cook the cornbread on the stove top in a cast iron skillet. Make the batter a bit thinner and cook as if you were making pancakes, which is basically what you're doing. We call that hoe cake but the Yankees call it Johnnycake. I think that works a bit better with the sweetened yellow meal recipes.

Rufus wrote:I've never had cornbread, white, yellow or blue, but you've peaked my interest. The subject recipe seems quite straight forward so I'll give it a try. Can't say that I'd like cornbread with baked beans though; I like my beans on their own.

Bryan, the beans aren't baked. They're just pinto or navy beans cooked on the stove top with water, salt and pepper, and as likely as not including a few chunks of ham. On the plate, the buttered cornbread soaks up some of the juice from the beans.

Gary, I'm salivating at the thought.

I make my beans the same way, basically. Don't ask me why, but we've found that the magic of the woodstove and a cast iron dutch oven to make the best "baked" beans. Do the same thing on our LP range and it's not the same. It wasn't when we had an electric range either. Maybe because the woodstove envelops the dutch oven with heat, something like an oven? I don't know. But I do know that for us it works best. Still salivating.

Locally 'baked" beans are made with molasses. But not being from Maine originally I make mine differently. I use the recipe from the back of the Jackrabbit Brand bag of navy pea beans. I've made it for native Mainers who were raised on "molasses beans" and I have yet to have anyone dislike it. Just the opposite. But done on the woodstove is best. Just don't ask me why. Still salivating; clearly it's time for supper.

Too, being an anachronism in Maine (or a transplant, take your pick) I love cornbread. But I never had cornbread and baked beans loaded with ham. I'm going to cook a ham very soon, it's time to make the combination. I also use the ham liquor, and lots of ham and bacon in with the beans. Dang! Yeah it's time for supper before I fill up on saliva if that's possible.

Around here, the term baked beans is understood to mean beans with spices, brown sugar, etc., etc. I throw these in the catagory of a casserole baked in the oven and resulting in some beans within a thick sauce. I've never had an appetite for sweets on the menu, other than the obvious such as pie, ice cream, chocolate, etc.

The beans I've had with cornbread weren't sweetened. I love sweets, but I don't like sugar in the main course: I don't like cranberry sauce with turkey, mint jelly with lamb, barbeque sauce, fruit mixed with greens in a salad, or molasses in my beans. Just one of my quirks.

- Murray

Here in south Texas it is always pinto beans cooked pretty much the way Gary described. Beans cooked on the stovetop in water until tender, then saute bacon and onion and add to the beans. Salt and pepper to taste and as much hot sauce as you can stand.

pausted wrote:Here in south Texas it is always pinto beans cooked pretty much the way Gary described. Beans cooked on the stovetop in water until tender, then saute bacon and onion and add to the beans. Salt and pepper to taste and as much hot sauce as you can stand.

That sounds good to me!

- Murray

I call those Prospector Beans Basil. Yup, delicious. I bet I haven't made those in 20 years.

Making me hungry!

I'm boiling a ham for tonight's supper. I think I'll use some of the stock and the boiled off bone for a mess of baked beans. I was thinking of soup, but it been awhile since I've made baked beans.

Seems to be lots of (baked) bean recipes that don't involve tomatoes, brown sugar, molasses (or my secret ingredient, English mustard powder). I guess that when the cook rang the triangle on the back of the chuck wagon, his beans weren't Heinz look-alikes. Cooking for a vegetarian wife, I have collected and used a lot of bean recipes (Pigeon peas, Hoppin' John etc) but no straight bean recipes that weren't some simulacrum of commercial baked beans. Do share if you have options for me that are either meatless or can be faked with veggie bacon bits or soy sausages.

Chris
PS I have a cornbread recipe that I cook in a cast-iron skillet in the oven that has suited me well, but I will try the one in the OP before sharing it in case this one is better!

Chris, in the Mexican kitchen, they often cook pinto beans in nothing but water until they are tender. This batch of beans might be used for several meals. Then depending on the menu for that day, they season accordingly. Maybe sausage and onion, or tomato and garlic, etc. You get the picture. The beans, a very important part of their diet, are a vehicle for the seasonings. Of course, they primarily use pintos. Great Northern or Navy could be used the same way. I don't see why soy sausage would not work just fine. Salt, pepper, garlic powder,onions etc would add to the flavor.

I have a friend from Colorado on the BBQ forum that I mod' on who periodically asks me to send him a case of Jacobs Cattle beans. Says that they make the best baked beans. I use navy pea beans and haven't tried the Jacobs Cattle.

Chris, would you like a recipe for refried beans? I find most to be tasteless, so I developed my own with the goal being flavor. It's been awhile since I've made the recipe but I'm pretty sure it's vegan or can made so.

Yes, when the trail cook rang the triangle they also didn't have tomatoes since there were no markets to buy any and they didn't travel on the trail well. I've been accused of being a purist, but chili (the real stuff from the trail) doesn't contain tomatoes for that reason. But sorry, it does contain meat. It's basically a meat sauce served over beans. Maybe beef TVP can be sub'ed for the meat?