Gene's Beans With Sorghum

by Dave Washburn

I've always been a fan of antique food cookery and this is probably the first recipe I learned. There are hundreds of variations on beans and I've incorporated sorghum into this one after a visit to the Smokies a few years ago. The original recipe calls for molasses, but quite a few people are not that fond of the bitter taste, and I found several recipes with sorghum (which is NOT molasses). Dead simple and I will assure you that halfway through the cooking time in a campground you will have a mob waiting.

1 lb. great northern or navy beans, rinsed, sorted and soaked overnight
2 12 oz pkgs salt pork, slashed to the rind at half inch intervals
half cup sorghum
2 tbs dry mustard
5-6 small onions peeled
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
water to cover

In a dutch oven place the salt pork in the bottom. Cover with the beans. Push in the onions around the salt pork. Pour in the sorghum. Sprinkle in the mustard and pepper. Add water to about one half inch above the beans. Place in a slow oven 300 degrees or over a low fire (or dutch oven- a few coals top and bottom) for about six hours. After six hours, taste for salt- you probably won't have to add any- if you do, dissolve a little in half cup of water. Check water level- you will probably have to add a little. Cook two more hours. If in the oven after another hour remove the lid to brown up a little. Serve with cornbread or campfire biscuits and a good salad. I've taken this to dozens of parties and always get a empty pot back.