I am making a Crockpot full of baked beans using a cooks.com recipe that called for starting with dried beans. I am getting concerned about the color (or lack thereof) of my pot of beans. I've already added more catsup and some brown barbecue sauce and still my beans are more white than brown. What gives beans their rich reddish-brown color? (I've always started from canned pork and beans before today.) Thanks.
Post the recipe and instructions and we'll see what we can do to help
SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS
Printed from COOKS.COM
2 lbs. Navy beans
10 c. water
3 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 lb. salt pork, chopped
1/4 c. molasses
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 c. ketchup
2 c. reserved hot bean liquid
Wash and sort beans. Place beans in slow cooker. Add water, salt, onion and salt pork. Mix well so that salt pork is covered by beans. Cover pot.
Set slow cooker to low for 13 to 15 hours or overnight until tender. (Cooking time may be reduced to 9 to 10 hours if beans are soaked 4 to 5 hours before cooking.)
When beans are tender, drain liquid and reserve the 2 cups hot bean liquid. To beans, add molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard and ketchup; stir. Add bean liquid, stir. Cover and simmer beans on low for 3 to 4 hours. Makes 4 quarts.
I seem to remember that the last time I made beans from scratch, they stayed very pale. I was freaking out because they didn't have that deep, dark color we're all looking for. They tasted just fine, though. Makes me wonder what industry is doing that we're not! Your recipe sounds solid, forge ahead...OR if someone knows the magic secret, please enlighten us!
Try using beans besides navy beans. that might make a world of difference.
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