Jacob's Cattle Beans

My Jacob's Cattle Beans are dry now and we're picking and shelling but many of my beans are dark pink instead of the maroon they are supposed to be and they don't have the spots. I know they aren't mismarked seeds because some look exactly like they should and they're coming from the same plant. Can weather have something to do with the look of these beans? I know once I cook them the spots and color won't mean a thing but I've got 8 different kinds of beans growing and planned on jars full of pretty looking beans.

nannybee,

This is not uncommon with Jacob's Cattle Beans, once cooked, you won't know the difference. If you haven't tried these beans baked, you're in for a treat! I think they're the best baker on the market.

Big-Red,
Best bakers. You have my attention.
Before I go sailing off to find out what Jacob's Cattle Beans are, let alone how to grow and pick 'em. Do you have a recipe?

"best baker on the market"

Yep, my ears swiveled around at that too! LOL

I'll bet they're in the Vermont Bean catalog, but Pinetree had them this year as well, http://www.superseeds.com/vega-b.htm

Checked vermontbean.com and found them there as well, https://www.vermontbean.com/vbsite/vbsiteviewproduct.aspx?ProductID=6724

A recipe would be great! :-)

hsottnek,

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, I meant to get the recipe and post it right off but I forgot. Anyhow, here's the one I use:

2 lbs. Jacob's Cattle beans
1/2 lb. salt pork
1/2 cup brown sugar (for a real treat, substitute maple syrup)
1/2 - 2/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, quartered

I parboil the beans until the skins split when you blow on them. Put into baking pot. Cut through the rind of the salt pork about 1/2 inch in a grid pattern, snuggle down into beans about half way (rind up), push quartered onion into beans. Pour in molasses. Sprinkle brown sugar, mustard and pepper over top. Add boiling water to cover. Bake at 300* for 6 hours or more, adding boiling water as necessary to cover. Don't let the water level get too low because the top beans will get hard. DO NO STIR.

In the summer, so as not to get the house too hot, I use this same recipe in the crock pot, works good!

Enjoy!

Thanks for the recipe Big Red. I'm shelling my Jacob's Cattle Beans now and ready to bake some beans. I got these beans from Vermont Bean Seed Co. I had real good luck with germination with the bean seeds I ordered from them and I ordered 7 different kinds.

I was afraid that picking the beans was going to be a back breaking experience but I just pull the whole plant when they're dry and shell them when sitting on the back porch. It takes some time but it isn't hard work and my husband and I enjoy sitting there in the evening watching our pile of beans grow.

My only problem with the beans this year has been the weather. We got 5 inches of rain 2-3 days ago and it's still misting out today. We've had a problem with mold on some of the beans. We're trying to get them out of the garden as soon as they are dry. Some varieties aren't ready to pick yet. It's sure been an unusually wet August for us and I don't think this would be a problem most years. I plan on saving some seeds from all of my beans and I'll be ready to try again next year.

Nancy

Thanks for the recipe -- that sounds great! One of my great-aunts used to fill her Nesco roaster (one of those 18 quart cookers people use for turkeys) with delicious homemade baked beans to bring to the "cousins' picnics" we used to have years ago. Since we had hundreds of people in our extended family in central Wisconsin, those gatherings were held at the state fair grounds, and we just called everyone Aunt or Uncle or Cousin with no regard for however many times removed. With most of her generation older or gone, those reunion picnics seem to be a thing of the past, but we used to look forward to them each summer!

Big-Red:
I also thank you for the recipe. Interesting that , by boiling to the split skin stage you are essentially baking cooked beans. Many recipes use baking soda to "soften" the skins. A thought: Years ago, somebody in Boston stole a barrel of molasses (destined for rum making) sold some of it to a cook who added it to boiled beans because folks were tired of eating the stuff. The cook stuck the pot in an oven to warm it up - and bingo. Boston Baked Beans. I just made this up - now I'm off to research Boston Baked Beans. Thanks again,
Hank