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EAT BEAN HOLE BEANS

As with many old New England traditions, it’s becoming more difficult to find authentic bean hole beans in Maine. However, with diligence and good timing, it can be done. Or, you can do it yourself.

Like a traditional shore-side lobster bake, bean hole beans are cooked in a pit lined with stone. First dig a 3-foot-deep hole, line it with stones, and build a roaring fire that burns until it turns into a hot bed of coals. Then lower a covered pot (cast iron is best) into the pit, cover with some of the coals, then cover it in dirt and leave it to cook all day or even overnight—at least eight hours.

Obviously, this means you’ll have to start working on the beans the day before, with a shovel, a pile of good hardwood, and a bunch of rocks. Some say the rocks can be left out if you’ve made enough coals. Some say the pot should rest in the coals, and the hot stones (if used) placed on the lid to provide heat and keep the dirt off. As with most things, you’ll have to decide through trial and error which method works best for you.

Recipes vary, too, as much as recipes for “Grandma’s Apple Pie.” You can use just about any kind of bean, from Maine Soldier Beans, to Yellow Eye, Great Northern, or Jacob’s Cattle, but they must be parboiled before taking them to the bean hole. A proper cast-iron bean pot is fat and has three legs, a handle, and a really tight-fitting lid. Use heavy pot holders or mitts to remove the pot from the pit because the handle will be HOT.

Recipes for bean hole beans are plentiful online. A Google search will give you pages of results, including a recipe on the New York Times and video directions on YouTube.