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Kentucky Soup Beans with Chow Chow

Source of Recipe

From "Secrets of the Southern Table" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"My friend, Joyce Pinson, known for her outrageous red hat, pointy-toed shoes, and cast-iron skillet, is a farmer, community leader, and farm-to-fork advocate, and a trusted voice of agriculture and foodways in central Appalachia. She told me that to this day in her corner of Kentucky, there is always a kettle of soup beans on the stove, or in the refrigerator ready to rewarm; and they are always served with cornbread. 'In company settings, cornbread is eaten by the hunk, but if it's just family, the bread is crumbled into the beans,' she says. 'As Mexican dishes have become more popular, some folks serve soup beans one day and use the remainder in the pot for refried beans or for tacos.' To salt or not to salt? According to the Bean Growers Association, dry beans cook faster when salt is added because salt break down the cell walls, so the notion of salt slowing down the cooking process is a myth. However, go easy on the salt, especially if cooking with salt pork, which is simply salted pork belly; it looks like side or slab bacon, but it's not smoked. If you cannot find salt pork, bacon is a fine substitute."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 pound dried pinto beans
◦ 1 tablespoon canola oil
◦ 2 sweet onions, finely chopped
◦ 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
◦ 12 ounces salt pork or bacon
◦ Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
◦ Chow Chow (recipe follows), for serving


Recipe

Place the beans in a large bowl. Remove and discard any stones.
Add cold water to cover by several inches. Soak for 8 hours or up to overnight. (Or, for a quick soak, wash and sort the beans. Place in a large stockpot and add water to cover, about 3 quarts. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let soak for one hour.) Drain the soaked beans, discarding the water.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
Add half the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the beans and water to cover by 1 inch. Add the salt pork and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and beginning to burst, 1 � to 2 hours. If necessary, add � to 1 cup water while simmering to keep the beans just submerged in cooking liquid.

When the beans are tender, transfer the salt pork to a cutting board. Using a knife or two forks, pull the meat into bits. Return the meat to the pot. Using a potato masher, mash to break up some of the beans. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with the remaining raw onion and the chow chow.

Serves 6



❧ Chow Chow:

"Chow chow is a spicy pickled relish that uses the produce at the end of the harvest, and it is the traditional condiment for Soup Beans. The vegetables can vary from recipe to recipe and can include green tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions, carrots, cucumber, and even apples or pears. For this recipe, you'll need 8 cups raw vegetables to make 4 cups pickles."

◦ 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
◦ 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
◦ 1 sweet onion, chopped
◦ � cabbage, cored and chopped
◦ 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
◦ 2 cups white vinegar
◦ 1 cup sugar
◦ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
◦ � teaspoon dry mustard powder
◦ � teaspoon ground turmeric
◦ � teaspoon celery seed
◦ Freshly ground black pepper

Place the peppers, onion, and cabbage in a resealable container. Add the salt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. Drain well in a colander and rinse under cold running water to remove any excess brine. Shake well to remove any excess moisture.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, dry mustard, turmeric, and celery seed in a large stainless steel or enamel-coated cast-iron pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. (You need to use a nonreactive pot because you'll be cooking vinegar.) Whisk to dissolve the sugar.

Add the drained vegetables and stir to combine. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are just tender and become translucent, 30 minutes. Season with pepper. Pack the vegetables and liquid into clean, sterilized jars and let cool slightly. Seal with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 6 weeks.

Makes 4 cups