Bean pot dinners

Got another question for you New Englanders---when i was i a kid i remember some really great meals at fund raise Bean Pot Dinners that where put on by all sort of local groups---i remember one in my home town that was almost like a feud--with the same familys/clubs every year---everyone would pack up theirr beanpot---huge ceramic ones with lids that where wrapped and tied down with wire and filled with beans ande whatever---hams,whole onions,mustard sauces,tomatoe sauces,poirk shoulders,green peppers---you never knew what was in there---but they were all great---tucked in a pit and covered up like a clambake or luau and slow cooked all day. I remember standing in line with my dad and a plate and a big spoon, watching as the pots were opened up.

I havent heard anything those beanpot dinners in many many years and wondered if they are still happening? Gonna have the cahnce to spend more time back at the homestead soon and woulod love to take my wife to one. If anyone knows of any still happening,i sure would love to hear about them!

I saw the Church fund raising Bean Supper on an edition of CBS Sunday Morning
News program several yeays ago ... And I still remember it like it was yesterday.

Large Creamic Canning Pots (Blue Fleck'd Stoneware) filled with dry Navy Beans,
Tomato sauce, Vinagar, Molasses, Salt Pork, Onions, & Mustard .... There's no way I could remember the ingredent list, but I think I know what should go into Boston Baked Beans.
Once the Pots where filled, the Lids were wired down with wire coat hangers.

Some lucky Church Parishoner got the job of tending the Fire, which was started on Thursday
for a Bean Supper planned on Saturday Night ... I remember they Buried several of the Ceramic
Canning Pots, in the coals of the fire pit, the following morning after the fire was started, and buried the entire pit for a day Plus ... like a massive Dutch Oven. On the Morning of the Bean Supper, Usually a Saturday, if I remember right, the Bean Pots were dug out of the semi cooled Fire Pit, two guys picking up the handles with tongs, and "dusting" off the tops with a wet broom, which still caught on fire.

I still remember some lucky parishoner, getting to sample 'the sauce', with a ladle over a slice of plain white bread. A slow Fire Pit braised dry beans, slowly cooking away for 24+ hours, and rendering the fat of salt pork and the sweetness of molassess ... Wood smoke flavor, tenderized navy beans,
all mopped up with spongie white bread ....

I've never tried this, Unfortunately I don't live in New England ... But I've thought about it.
Roger Armitage
Detroit, Michigan

Pigface---it really is good--great slow cooked beans--some with molassas some with maple syrup---hams---shoulders--all cooked down so it falls off the bone> Boy they were good!!!I sure hope somewhere they are still doing them--i would hate to see it dissapear---i just may have get me a pot!!! I spent a couple nights in my youth helping to tend the fires-----great excuse for a kid to stay up all night long!

Beanpot dinners are still a part of the New England scene. I see them listed in Yankee Magazine's calendar section, usually in the fall months. They're typically organized by church groups and other community organizations. If you can't get your hands on Yankee, you might try to get a listing from a particular state's tourism office.

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

I havent heard anything those beanpot dinners in many many years and wondered if they are still happening?

As of last year they are still having them. I have a good friend that lived in Topsham last year and we went to 2 of them......one near Freeport and the other in South Harpswell. Both were put on by local churches.

BTW...they were called Bean Hole Dinners. As you can imagine, that gave my very juvenile mind quite a hoot!! LOL

Beans can't compare to the freshest lobster...especially at $2/lb. right off the boats...but they sure were good!

Stogie

quote:

Originally posted by Stogie

As of last year they are still having them. I have a good friend that lived in Topsham last year and we went to 2 of them......one near Freeport and the other in South Harpswell. Both were put on by local churches.

BTW...they were called Bean Hole Dinners. As you can imagine, that gave my very juvenile mind quite a hoot!! LOL

Beans can't compare to the freshest lobster...especially at $2/lb. right off the boats...but they sure were good!

Stogie

Glad to hear it!!----and about the lobster vs beans-----who says we cant have em both!!

quote:

Originally posted by jpatweb

Beanpot dinners are still a part of the New England scene. I see them listed in Yankee Magazine's calendar section, usually in the fall months. They're typically organized by church groups and other community organizations. If you can't get your hands on Yankee, you might try to get a listing from a particular state's tourism office.

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

I havent heard anything those beanpot dinners in many many years and wondered if they are still happening?

Of course---Yankee Mag----shoulda thought of that!!!--thanks