Cooking Beans on the Fire

With winter cold comes the comforting warmth of a wood fire. We feed ours with trees that have fallen in the woods throughout the year, so it costs almost nothing to heat our house.

I love the smell of a wood fire, too. Good thing, you say, since I'm living with it.

There's one more thing to love about the wood heater -- it cooks! Yes, my friends, while it warms the house and wafts its heavenly scent, it also prepares delicious meals.

I know that some of you reading this post have your own stews and soups bubbling away on your own fires, but it's likely that some newcomers to the self-reliant life are visiting today. For those of you who haven't tried cooking with your woodstove (and especially for those of you who haven't tried cooking without a microwave oven), here's a tip: beans.

Easy to grow, easy to store,  and easy to cook, dried beans are loaded with nutrition. They're affordable even if you buy from the local supermarket, they're versatile, and they are the basis for a frugal family's meal planning.

Whether you intend to cook them on a wood fire or an electric range, start by soaking dried beans in water for several hours, even overnight if you like. The variety makes little difference -- pinto, navy, aduki, kidney, black, or whatever dried bean you have on hand.Once they've soaked a while, you'll notice that the beans have swollen up a bit and gotten slightly softer.

Drain off the soak water, then add fresh water that covers the beans by about 2 inches. Add a piece of pork (ham bone, salt pork, whatever you like) and little salt -- the amount is up to you, and you can always taste and adjust as the beans cook.

And now you're ready to go. Put the pot of beans on your heat source and let them simmer for 2 hours or more, tasting every so often until they're just the way you like 'em.

That's the basic bean recipe, but there are so many variations, you could eat beans every day and never have exactly the same dish. Try adding tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, carrots, or any combination of whatever vegetables you like.   Serve your beans with rice, or with cornbread, or with biscuits.

Eat, enjoy, and commend yourself for having the wisdom to recognize and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.