Author Topic: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole  (Read 5189 times)

Stephen Piwowarski

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Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« on: May 30, 2015, 07:12:06 PM »
Ok, funny question:

Has anyone here ever cooked up beans in a bean hole. I hear this was the way it was done in the old days in logging camps and that caught my attention. It also sounds really cool. How long does it take and what sort of pot do you use?

Thanks,
Steve

Philip Marshall

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2015, 09:05:08 PM »
Hi Stephen,

I don't know what's considered "correct", but the famous Alfred Ames logging film from the 1930s,  "From Stump to Ship", has a bean hole sequence that shows a cast iron pot lifted out of the hole with a rope held by two cooks. The narration (text by Ames himself, read by Tim Sample) says it took 12 hours, from 4pm to 4am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIKCjQdxtO0

Skip ahead to 15:24 for the bean hole. There is also a railroad scene beginning around 25:20.

-Philip
« Last Edit: May 30, 2015, 09:19:32 PM by Philip Marshall »

Stewart "Start" Rhine

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2015, 06:13:38 AM »
There are number of places in the Mid Coast that hold Bean-Hole-Bean suppers each year.  I haven't been to one but there may be info on line about the cooking process.

Terry Harper

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2015, 08:05:01 AM »
The Lumberman's Museum in Patten Maine holds a traditional Bean hole dinner every year.

Richard Cavalloro

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2015, 08:06:12 AM »
We did it every year when I was in the Boy Scouts.   There was a tasting contest as well as other activities.   I recall chipping through the frozen ground and heating up rocks in a huge bonfire.   the beans cooked all day in a cast iron dutch oven.   Boy did they taste good after being out in the cold all day.
 Rick

PS  Thanks for stirring up some great memories!!

Jason M Lamontagne

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2015, 06:15:23 PM »
Hmm- we should build an event around this...

John Kokas

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2015, 06:47:22 PM »
How about doing this during the FWW.  Campfire cookout for dinner  ;D
Moxie Bootlegger

Stephen Piwowarski

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Re: Cooking Baked Beans in a bean hole
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2015, 06:53:06 PM »
That would be very cool... I just found out one of the big growers of heritage beans in the state is in Albion. That's another sort of tie in.
http://www.mainedrybeans.com/

Once the shingle mill gets up and running at ToM, maybe have some logging camp cookery...

Thanks for the great memories and ideas!

Or use the same name they use at old time machinery shows: the annual gas power-up.