Question about canned beans.

[eveled]

In American stories about Hobos or CowBoys often a can of beans cooked over a fire being all there was for supper.

Am I correct to assume these would be baked beans? Like in sauce with the little piece of pork.

Now we have canned beans that are just beans. How long have they been available? I can’t imagine having plain beans for supper.

 

[RC44Mag]

I seem to recall can baked beans plain when I was a kid. No more for me. Today’s its Bushes with chunks of ham and brown sugar, molasses only.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

I actually eat plain beans (mostly pinto) often.... they really just need a bit of seasoning and they are quite good. I'm a single guy, so seasoning means salt and pepper... They have lots of protein... called "poor mans meat"...
In fact I've got a dutch oven in the wood stove, with pinto beans going right now... Store bought canned beans are not quite "done", and can use a bit of additional heat (in my opinion)....
I have a few video's on bean recipes.... very easy and taste amazing.... I have both baked bean and bean and tater soup vids... yes they do include bacon ...... (in case you were worried)

 

[Jeepnik]

I actually eat plain beans (mostly pinto) often.... they really just need a bit of seasoning and they are quite good. I'm a single guy, so seasoning means salt and pepper... They have lots of protein... called "poor mans meat"...
In fact I've got a dutch oven in the wood stove, with pinto beans going right now... Store bought canned beans are not quite "done", and can use a bit of additional heat (in my opinion)....
I have a few video's on bean recipes.... very easy and taste amazing.... I have both baked bean and bean and tater soup vids... yes they do include bacon ...... (in case you were worried)

Pretty sure they didn't carry much in the way of canned goods. Too heavy and not really "packable". Mostly beans came in a sack. They were boiled and what ever was handy was tossed in.

 

[arfmel]

I never did like sugary beans. I have been buying plain canned beans for at least 50 years. I’m sure they’ve been making them for a lot longer than that.

White beans
Navy beans
Black beans
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Refried beans

 

[jimbo1096]

Canned beans, the cheapest they could find in the store. Definitely not Bush’s pork, and beans.

 

[Kevin]

for lunch I very often have broccoli and canned beans. Usually with vinegar and/or some sort of salad dressing.

 

[ArizonaTea123]

I make my own "baked beens", using fried bacon pieces, molasses, and Lowry's Salt, pepper, and chili powder, lots of smashed garlic.
I use five different kinds of beans:
Pinto
Navy
Black
Kidney
White
Easy to make. I mostly use canned beans and let it slow cook for hours, adding water as necessary.

 

[tazbigdog]

I've eaten pretty much every kind of canned baked beans. I liked Bush’s until I had Yellowstone, but my all-time favorite is my slow-cooker beans.

Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS

PREP TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 8 HOURS 6 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 9 HOURS 21 MINUTES
SERVINGS: 10 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups dried navy beans
• 1 pound bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce (like crushed tomatoes)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 4 cups vegetable broth

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the beans and then soak overnight (at least 8 hours) or boil for 1 hour. Drain and then add to the slow cooker.
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon, onion, and bell pepper (optional) over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until bacon fat renders enough to soften the onion.
3. Stir in the salt, mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, and molasses and then add it all to the slow cooker with the beans. Mix in the vegetable broth and then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally if possible.
4. If you want the sauce thicker, let the beans cook on high uncovered for the last 30 minutes.

 

[eveled]

I like Bush’s beans right out of the can. But nobody else in my family does.

But my Mexican baked beans my boys devour.
Edited to fix quantities

6 30 oz cans of beans. 3 Red kidney 3 black. Any kind will work.
1/2 12oz jar of Goya Sofrito
1/2 12oz jarof Goya Recaito
3 chopped onions
3 cans of Rotel tomatoes with chilies
3 Pack of yellow Sazon

Bring it to a boil keep stirring. Then put it on low snd cover it.

Great for tacos, burritos, nachos, etc.

My favorite is spread on a tortilla topped with a fried egg. Eat the egg and beans then roll up the tortilla.

A picture to show ratio. Multiply x3.

To use half jars of these

 

[arfmel]

Muy sabroso

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Pretty sure they didn't carry much in the way of canned goods. Too heavy and not really "packable". Mostly beans came in a sack. They were boiled and what ever was handy was tossed in.

Yup. Preppers store plain beans and bags of rice. Extremely nutritious. You are right in that beans already in sause would be way too heavy for traveling in big groups.

 

[roylt]

I think that is on TV. Tin can on a fire etc.

As for real cowboys etc, I assume they packed dry beans.

I used to get pork and beans in cans when I was younger but just slowly stopped. Just didn't get put on my menu. A couple months ago they were on sale so I grabbed a few cans and though they would pare with hot dogs or something. Grew up where there was the little white pork fat chunk in there. These had none. Not sure where they get the pork now? Also when I was a kid we always put some brown sugar in. I ran out of brown sugar so we just tried them regular. They did not taste right at all. Ended up tossing the leftovers in a big pot with a bunch of other things to make chili. Waste not want not kind guy.

 

[jimbo1096]

@tazbigdog
That looks like that would be a good recipe. Plan on trying it sometime this week.

 

[Watertender]

I chop sirloin tip into chunks and put mushrooms and onions with butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and black pepper in a skillet. I brown the mixture and when it's cooked through I add Bush Bourbon and Brown Sugar Grillin Beans.

It's excellent and the resulting "wind" can cover 3 aisles in Home Depot with no problem at all. Beans are one of my favorite foods and my digestive system always thanks me with thunder from down under!

 

[MaxMan]

As a kid dad opened a can of Joan of Arc kidney beans. It had gone bad. Whoa what a smell. I like Bush's beans, most beans now are butter beans or navy beans cooked in a crock pot with han and onions.

 

[blume357]

Okay, from the original post... I always thought of the Hobos having in their pack a #10 (big) can as their cooking pot and using dried beans to cook. But with that thought, I remember the part in the book Lonesome Dove when the group is down in Mexico stealing the cows and they run across the two brothers who are trying to cook some beans and did not know you need to soak them over night before cooking. Or the other method is to bring them to a boil for a few minutes and then let them rest for an hour or two before cooking.
If anyone here decided to hit the road and needs one of those #10 cans I can get you one, Meals on wheels just up the road has about 5 or 6 big trash cans full of them about once a month for the recycling truck.

 

[WAYNO]

There's a lot of lore about beans. Canned beans would have been heavy.
So, dry beans or peas of many varieties, a handful thrown in a kettle with whatever might have been left over from previous meals. A squirrel, a rabbit, some venison, some jerky or animal fat, anything to make them palatable, and just let them simmer near a fire.
There's something to say about the old children's rhyme, "Peas Porridge in the Pot, Nine Days Old".
I really do like either peas or beans, baked beans flavored sweetly with molasses-type flavorings, or mixed with other savory ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, meat, eggs, vegetables, or just about anything.
I suspect I'm not alone. I travel a lot, and everywhere but the U.S. I see beans of some sort available on breakfast buffets.




.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

My dad used to mash up pinto beans and mix in mayonnaise. He'd eat it as his dinner with cornbread. He once fed me a bite, and I instantly became a convert.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Had to be said . . .

Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel
So let's have beans for every meal

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Canned beans were for city folk. My grandmother, who was raised and lived on a farm, always kept dried pinto beans in her cupboard. She'd occasionally boil some of those beans in a big pot, then store them in Mason jars, ready for the family to eat.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

In American stories about Hobos or CowBoys often a can of beans cooked over a fire being all there was for supper.

Am I correct to assume these would be baked beans? Like in sauce with the little piece of pork.

Now we have canned beans that are just beans. How long have they been available? I can’t imagine having plain beans for supper.

OK NOW to the question that was asked.
The small mid-Ohio town that I lived in during the 50s had a location out of town next to the RR tracks and river where the Hobos would spend time in the summer eating and sleeping. There were some large flat rocks about 6'x3'x2'high they would sleep on. Their campfire always had empty cans around it including Campbells Pork and Beans. At that time period that was probably the most popular brand anyway that is all we ever ate.
In the late to early 50s Hobos would come around looking for work and a handout. My Mother and Grandmother would always give them something to eat. Yes, I know they would mark your house indicating they could get a meal.
Our path to the woods and fishing spot took us by the Hobo camp site and we would always check it out.
Hobos are NOT going to take the time to boil beans try and find clean water to cook and wash in, but the Chuck Wagon would have dried beans on it along with a water barrel.

Now Class a history lesson.

1950 price, Campbell’s Pork & Beans: Two one-pound cans for $0.25

Campbell's Pork and Beans has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century.

Origins

• Introduced in 1900 by the Campbell Soup Company, which was founded in 1869.
• Initially marketed as a convenient meal option for busy families.

Product Development

• The recipe features navy beans, pork, and a sweet tomato sauce.
• Over the years, various flavors and formulations have been introduced, including vegetarian options.

Cultural Impact

• Became a staple in American households, especially during the Great Depression and World War II.
• Frequently associated with comfort food and outdoor activities like camping and barbecues.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

OK here is a REAL GOOD bean recipe.

Here is My Cowboy Bean Recipe that has won awards.
It takes a little more time and money to do but is well worth it.
You can make a meal on just this and bread. Some people from those far North States think it's Chili, well it's not. Not even close.



COWBOY BEANS

1 pound pinto beans
2 large onions chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tea salt
1/2# ground pork
1/2# ground chuck or stew meat
1 can tomato sauce
1 can water
1/2 tea black pepper
1/4 tea oregano
1/4 tea sage
1/4 tea cumin seed
2 tabs chile powder
Soak beans overnight
Brown meat add onion & garlic. Cook until onions are tender.
Add beans and the rest of the stuff.
Bring to a boil then simmer until beans are tender 1 1/2-2 hours. Keep
beans covered with liquid add water as required.

 

[eveled]

Thanks @Wyandot Jim that was what I thought.

The other related posts were all great too. I love a good tangent that includes recipes. .

Thanks everyone.

From Searching the earliest references to canned beans were all prepared baked cooked beans.

Not sure when the presoaked beans that still need to be cooked started being canned.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

In the late to early 50s Hobos would come around looking for work and a handout. My Mother and Grandmother would always give them something to eat. Yes, I know they would mark your house indicating they could get a meal.

Man, I hadn't thought of that for years. Apparently, our house was marked, because we had the occasional stranger asking for some food at the back door. Mom always made them a sandwich.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Man, I hadn't thought of that for years. Apparently, our house was marked, because we had the occasional stranger asking for some food at the back door. Mom always made them a sandwich.

Yep, I remember them always coming to the back door. I do believe the Hobos/Homeless of that time period had way more class than those of today. They would always ask mom if she needed any work done. Of course, she never asked them to help. That is what I was for

 

[Randyzzz]

Man, my wife asked if I wanted spaghetti or her “chili” for dinner. Now I know my answer. Her recipe is similar to Wyandot Jim’s. She’s been making it for years- I love it.

A different tangent on the original question, maybe needing its own discussion. Most westerns seem to have a very limited selection of drinks- coffee, tea, wine, whiskey, and beer. And of course water. Since then we’ve invented a cornucopia of various flavored drinks. I can’t imagine having only the previously mentioned 6 choices. I’ve been on a self imposed eating plan to lose weight and get healthy- intermittent fasting. I don’t consume anything other than water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea between 8 PM and 11 AM. It’s working, I’ve lost 30 lbs so far without really trying…but those drink choices are pretty boring.

How would you feel about having only the previously mentioned 6 choices to drink? And for those of you who don’t imbibe- 3 choices?

 

[eveled]

Man, my wife asked if I wanted spaghetti or her “chili” for dinner. Now I know my answer. Her recipe is similar to Wyandot Jim’s. She’s been making it for years- I love it.

A different tangent on the original question, maybe needing its own discussion. Most westerns seem to have a very limited selection of drinks- coffee, tea, wine, whiskey, and beer. And of course water. Since then we’ve invented a cornucopia of various flavored drinks. I can’t imagine having only the previously mentioned 6 choices. I’ve been on a self imposed eating plan to lose weight and get healthy- intermittent fasting. I don’t consume anything other than water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea between 8 PM and 11 AM. It’s working, I’ve lost 30 lbs so far without really trying…but those drink choices are pretty boring.

How would you feel about having only the previously mentioned 6 choices to drink? And for those of you who don’t imbibe- 3 choices?

Not only limited choices, no refrigerator. No glass of ice cubes. Warm water. Yech.

Cold water from a deep well must have been amazing. Not everyone had deep wells.

 

[eveled]

One article I read said Cow Boys called beans “whistle-berries”. Kind of a variation of calling beans “the musical fruit”

I don’t remember that in any Lois Lamour books. I do remember him referring to donuts as “bear sign”.

 

[Randyzzz]

Not only limited choices, no refrigerator. No glass of ice cubes. Warm water. Yech.

Cold water from a deep well must have been amazing. Not everyone had deep wells.

Warm beer- also yech. Don’t know how the Brits can choke it down. I