Pantry Beans being demonstrated and sampled at the 2013 O’Laughlin Sport Shows.
PANTRY BEANS
For many pot luck entrees, we have come to rely on this quick, crowd-pleasing dish. Many times we have been asked for the recipe and it was one of those we always threw together with whatever was in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer. This is one version that is a favorite. We have used all kinds of meat, including thuringer, beer sausage, ground venison, wild boar, wild turkey and ham chunks. The more variety of beans, the better. Try adding white beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas or even lentils. Really, just use what’s in the cupboard, it’s hard to go wrong.
1/2 pound bacon
2 cups onion, chopped or diced
1 pound venison, cubed
1 28-ounce can baked beans
1 15-ounce can pork and beans
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 4-ounce can green chilies
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
Add beef broth if a more liquid consistency is desired.
In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, brown bacon on medium-high heat. Add venison and onions, cooking until venison is browned and onions translucent. At this point, all ingredients can be placed in a crock pot and cooked 2-5 hours on low heat. For the stovetop method, simply add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until venison is tender. Serve with cornbread if desired.
This recipe is from the book, Cooking Big Game, available at www.scotthaugen.com.
