Best EVER Baked Beans

This is a recipe that I plan around - as in... I want to eat this, so I plan a dinner around it instead of planning a main course and then planning the side dishes!  Easy, tasty, makes a bunch and then I can freeze leftovers for a quick side a few other times.  

Wonderful with BBQ, baked potatoes and anything else you care to plan around your BEST  EVER  BAKED  BEANS...

1  pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1  pound ground hamburger (80/20 or 85/15)

1  medium onion, chopped

1 15oz can kidney beans

1 15oz can Bush's Original baked beans

1  15oz can red beans

1/2  cup ketchup

1  teaspoon dry mustard

1/2  cup brown sugar, NOT packed

3  Tablespoons vinegar

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Prep your bacon and add to a heated cast-iron pot.

Brown the bacon pieces.  Brown your bacon EXTRA  WELL  DONE.  i.e.: nearly burnt.  It will be added later and "re-hydrate".  (You don't want soggy bacon...)

Remove bacon pieces and set aside.  

Add the hamburger and chopped onion to the bacon grease and brown hamburger.

Once all 3 first ingredients are browned, re-add bacon and add all remaining ingredients AND  DO  NOT  drain the beans.

Bring to a slight boil, stirring constantly while it’s heating up - then turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally while simmering.

Place the cast-iron lid on your pot and transfer from the stovetop to your pre-heated oven.

Bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes.

Stir when done and then replace the lid and let rest until ready to eat.

NOTE: If you do no have a cast-iron pot, transfer cooked baked bean mixture to a 9X13 baking pan and cover with a double layer of foil to bake.

LEFTOVER  IDEAS:
Freeze, baked potatoes, savory dinner crepes... :0)  that one is coming!




Click Link FOR:     Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS

Baking with Natural Yeast - Rehydrating Yeast Flakes

Only 1 TABLESPOON
of dehydrated flakes are
needed to get a jar started...

… … … … … … … … 

YouTube Video For: Rehydrating Natural Yeast Flakes

… … … … … … … …

The short version of what natural yeast is, and what I convey to a "D" personality type:  (For the person who really just wants me to GET TO THE POINT.)

Natural Yeast is just that - NATURAL.  Not manufactured but gathered from nature.  You can grow it, share it, use it, freeze it, dehydrate and store it.  Used in baking bread, making crepes, pizza, muffins, pancakes, waffles... your baking uses of natural yeast depend on how you want and need to use it.

For those of you who'd like a few more details:
It takes time to rise.  Definitely the furthest thing from QUICK with the process time it takes to make a loaf of bread.  However, I can say from years of use and experience with both quick-rise and natural yeast that NATURAL YEAST is the EASIEST and FASTEST way to make bread.  I've timed it: 10-15 minutes total time to put a loaf together and feed my yeast.  That's it.  No babysitting, no kneading, NADA.  

The yeast processes the gluten protein our bodies cannot handle and which causes inflammation (think about the food baby you end up with after eating fast-food or pizza) and through that process of rising the yeast does all the work for you.  You mix your bread, seal the dough, leave it alone to process on your counter.  Come back when it's done, pull it onto a puddle of grape-seed oil, form your dough and bake.  That's it... and indeed a LIFE changer.  Especially if you're living with gluten intolerances or straight-up allergies. 

Natural yeast in flake form is easy to transport, send, or store for sharing and also for helping a jar of sick yeast.  (And yes, it can get sick.  It's alive, and you want to keep it that way...)  

I have found through several different tries what works best for me.  It may be that I have a thinner yeast flake from my dyhydraing process, the humidity in my house (thank you TEXAS...)  or some variable I will never quite understand.  Any which way, this is what works for me.  I'd love to hear what works best for you and your little happy jar of natural yeast.


LET'S  GET  STARTED!

You'll need:
1 - natural yeast flakes.     
2 - pint size jar, lid and ring.  (or a plastic lid for your canning jar.)

(flip your lid with the seal flipped TOP-side facing down... you want to make sure your yeast is getting air to breathe.)

3 - Tablespoon measurement
4 - filtered drinking water  

Add 1 TABLESPOON of dehydrated flakes to your clean, pint size jar.

Add 1/4  CUP  filtered drinking water, put on your lid flipped TOP-side facing down,
tighten your lid BUT NOT ALL THE WAY!, and let it sit in your kitchen for 6-12 hours.

After 6-12 hours when the natural yeast flakes have become mushy:

Add  1/4  CUP flour

Let's chat here for a bit - my yeast does not like ALL whole wheat flour.

I  DO  NOT  FEED  MY  YEAST  WHOLE  WHEAT.

(It turns it into a hot mess I don't want to bake or cook with... EVER.)

If you want to try it, split your yeast when you have a large amount and experiment in a separate jar from the one you want to keep long term in your fridge.

That said, I have great success making the dough doing 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all-purpose flour.

Before you dive into experimenting with whole wheat, 

THINK:  GOOD,  BETTER,  BEST  when it comes to your flour.

All-Purpose is GOOD.

Unbleached / All-purpose is BETTER.

Unbleached / Organic is BEST.

AND REMEMBER:  

You are MAKING your bread.  

Holy COW! and a pat on the back!  

Do the best with what you have...  I am typically using Unbleached.  I'm not at Costco everyday to buy unbleached/organic, and I no longer have a food storage room in the basement.  I do the best with what I have and what I can quickly get running into HEB or Kroger while staying within my family's monthly budget.

NOW, back to the Natural Yeast you are making...

After feeding your natural yeast a 1/4 cup flour your yeast it will need to hang out on the kitchen counter again with the lid on.  But now that it is fed it will be ready to be fed again by the end of the day.

By the end of the day you should see significant activity in your jar.

LOTS  OF  AIR  BUBBLES! =  Happy, Alive, Active yeast

Now it's time to feed it one last time before sending it to the fridge OR using it.

Add:

1/4  CUP of un-bleached flour                     
1/4  CUP  filtered drinking water

Stir with a fork and mix well throughout. The mixture should look like thick oatmeal and

have a few air bubbles from being mixed throughly.  Put in the fridge OR set on the counter for another 5-8 hours and use when bubbly and active throughout again.

NOTE FOR USE:  always feed and water your natural yeast after using it for making  dough.

Place in your fridge in the "warmest" spot possible. I've learned through trial and error (killing my natural yeast) that I have to keep a hand towel underneath my yeast jars for added 
"warmth" against the harsh glass shelving.

I keep any extra dehydrated yeast flakes zipped up in a Ziplock, labeled and rolled up at the coldest corner of my fridge.  Make sure to date your batch of yeast and use your oldest one first.

Annnndddd...  I've named my yeast.  IT'S LIKE A PET!  You have to feed, water and care for it 
- keep it alive.  :0)


If your baking needs require larger amounts of natural yeast, transfer to a larger glass jar at a feeding stage of use.  Always allow for "breathing" room, at least a 1/4 of your jar.

How to feed for a larger quantity:

Simply equal parts flour and water.
EXAMPLE:  
1/4 cup yeast starter
1 cup flour
1 cup water
Let sit on your counter for 9-12 hours. 
Use starter and feed and water as normal,
or immediately put in the fridge for later use.

FOR  fridge  storage:
DO NOT EXCED THE AMOUNT OF YEAST YOU'RE FEEDING
ie:  do NOT feed a 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water to a 
1/4 cup yeast and shove it in the fridge...

(INSTRUCTIONS   WITH  PHOTOS:)

I keep dehydrated yeast flakes zipped up in a Ziplock,
labeled and rolled up at the coldest corner of my fridge.

Annnndddd...  I've named my yeast.
IT'S LIKE A PET!
You have to feed, water and care for it 
- keep it alive.  :0)

Make sure to date your batch of 
yeast and use your oldest one first.

You'll need:
1 - natural yeast flakes.    
2 - pint size jar, lid and ring.

(flip your lid with the seal flipped TOP-side facing down...
you want to make sure your yeast is getting air to breathe.
Another reason you might want to name it...)

3 - Tablespoon measurement
4 - filtered drinking water        

Add 1 TABLESPOON
of dehydrated flakes
to your clean, pint size jar.

Add 1/4  CUP  filtered drinking water,
put on your lid flipped TOP-side facing down,
tighten your lid BUT NOT ALL THE WAY!,
and let it sit in your kitchen for 6-12 hours.

After 6-12 hours when the natural yeast 

flakes have become mushy:

Add  1/4  CUP flour

After feeding your natural yeast a 1/4 cup flour
your yeast will need to hang out 
on the kitchen counter again with its lid on.
but now that it is fed it will be ready to be 
fed again by the end of the day.

By the end of the day you should 
see significant activity in your jar.

LOTS  OF  AIR  BUBBLES! =  Happy, Alive, Active yeast

When your contents look like the 
photo above when you open your lid,
it's time to feed it one last time 
before sending it to the fridge.

Add:

                1/4  CUP of un-bleached flour                     

1/4  CUP  filtered drinking water

Stir with a fork and mix well throughout.
The mixture should look like thick oatmeal and
have a few air bubbles from being mixed throughly.
Put in the fridge OR set on the counter for another 
5-8 hours and use when bubbly and active throughout again.

NOTE FOR USE:  always feed and water your natural yeast 

after using it for making  dough.

CLICK  LINKS  AT  THE  END  OF  THIS  POST  FOR  ADDITIONAL  

RECIPES  AND  NATURAL  YEAST  BAKING  INFORMATION.  

Place in your fridge in the "warmest" spot possible.

I've learned through trial and error (killing my natural yeast)
that I have to keep a hand towel underneath my yeast jars for added 
"warmth" against the harsh glass shelving. 

If your baking needs require larger amounts of natural yeast,
transfer to a larger glass jar at a feeding stage of use.
Always allow for "breathing" room, at least a 1/4 of your jar.

How to feed for a larger quantity:
Simply equal parts flour and water.
EXAMPLE:  
1/4 cup yeast starter
1 cup flour
1 cup water
Let sit on your counter for 9-12 hours. 
Use starter and feed and water as normal,
or immediately put in the fridge for later use.

However, with fridge storage:
DO NOT EXCED THE AMOUNT OF YEAST YOU'RE FEEDING
ie:  do NOT feed a 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water to a 
1/4 cup yeast and shove it in the fridge...

CLICK  LINK  FOR:    Baking With Natural Yeast - Basic Loaf

CLICK  LINK  FOR:    Mama Jo's Recipes - Table Of Contents