Mennonite Baked Lima Beans
I found this recipe in an old Mennonite Church cookbook. It is very good!
I found this recipe in an old Mennonite Church cookbook. It is very good!
- Carbohydrate 823.744824709349 g
- Cholesterol 308.4428116 mg
- Fat 208.727624318739 g
- Fiber 36.6486355077255 g
- Protein 100.085361186005 g
- Saturated Fat 68.9041878991764 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (2605g)
- Sodium 9354.36023883973 mg
- Sugar 787.096189201623 g
- Trans Fat 23.6445500540968 g
- Calories 5437 calories
Step-by-step
- Soak beans in three times their volume of cold water, for about 6 hours.
- Drain and rinse.
- Cover with fresh water and cook until just about half tender (about 30 minutes); drain.
- Add other ingredients and pour into a large baking dish or bean crock.
- Bake in oven until tender, 2 to 3 hours at 350 degrees.
Will standard cookware actually hold two pounds of dried beans plus five pounds of combined sugar, ketchup, and molasses without boiling over? Standard four-quart Dutch ovens fall short here; deploy a minimum six-quart heavy ceramic bean crock or a deep roasting pan fitted with a lid to contain the expanding legumes and bubbling syrups. Soaking requires three times the volume of cold water for six hours because dried lima beans demand full hydration before simmering, or their skins will rupture prematurely during the subsequent thirty-minute stovetop parboil.
Sugar loads of this magnitude demand strict temperature control to prevent scorching on the vessel bottom before the interiors soften. Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours initiates a Maillard reaction between the bacon fat and the high volume of brown sugar, producing a thick glaze. Stir every forty-five minutes during the first half of the baking window to redistribute the pork fat and prevent localized caramelization.
Dryness signals overcooking, so test a bean against the roof of the mouth at the two-hour mark; it should yield with creamy resistance rather than graininess. Acid from the ketchup balances the heavy sugars, but excess moisture must evaporate by removing the lid for the final thirty minutes of baking.
Leftovers improve significantly after twenty-four hours in the refrigerator as starches fully absorb the surrounding molasses reduction. Reheat portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the thickened sauce.
