Wanda’s Stewed Cranberry Beans

Name: Wanda’s Stewed Cranberry Beans
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 4 cups shelled fresh cranberry or borlotti beans (about 2½ pounds in the pod); 8 ounces ham or 4 ounces country ham, cut into small chunks; Salt; 1 Southern Corn Bread; Southern-Style Greens

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Cuisine :
Course : Dinner

8 servings Megan grew up eating these beans every Sunday; they were a staple crop in her grandparents’ garden. Her family calls them October beans, and they are never served without corn bread and stewed greens.

Ingredients

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Show sub-recipe ingredients

4 cups shelled fresh cranberry or borlotti beans (about 2½ pounds in the pod)
8 ounces ham or 4 ounces country ham, cut into small chunks
Salt
1 Southern Corn Bread (opens in new tab) Southern Corn Bread
- 1 ¾ cups (280g) fine cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
- (1 tablespoon [10g] sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (365g) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat, lard, oil, or vegetable shortening
- Butter
Sub-recipe steps
1. Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl: 1 ¾ cups (280g) fine cornmeal, preferably stone-ground; (1 tablespoon [10g] sugar); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt
2. Whisk together in another bowl: 1 ½ cups (365g) buttermilk; 2 large eggs
3. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cornmeal mixture and whisk just until blended. Take the skillet out of the oven and add to it: 1 tablespoon bacon fat, lard, oil, or vegetable shortening
4. Swirl to coat the skillet with the fat and pour in the batter all at once. Bake until the top is browned and the center feels firm when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately from the skillet, cut into wedges or squares, along with: Butter
5. Leftovers, though dry, are nice enough if wrapped in foil and rewarmed in a low oven. Megan likes to crumble leftover corn bread into a tall glass and pour buttermilk over it. Think of it as Southern breakfast cereal.
Southern-Style Greens

Let's Prepare

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Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.

4 cups shelled fresh cranberry or borlotti beans (about 2½ pounds in the pod)
8 ounces ham or 4 ounces country ham, cut into small chunks
Salt
1 Southern Corn Bread
Southern-Style Greens

Let's Cook

Step 1.

Combine in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch: 4 cups shelled fresh cranberry or borlotti beans (about 2½ pounds in the pod); 8 ounces ham or 4 ounces country ham, cut into small chunks
Step 2.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer slowly until the beans are very tender and creamy and the liquid has transformed into a thick bean “gravy.” The time will vary depending on the beans, but start checking them at 30 minutes. Season to taste with: Salt
Step 3.

Serve with: Southern Corn Bread; Southern-Style Greens