BEANHOLE BEANS

Beanhole beans have a long history in Maine. Indians of the Wabanaki Confederation in Maine and New Brunswick (represented locally by the Penobscot Tribe) cooked beans with maple syrup and scraps of meat or game, in stone-lined holes in the ground. Early New Englanders adapted the method, and baked their beans with molasses and salt pork. Lumbermen relied on beanhole beans as a staple of their rich camp diet. Nowadays, visitors at Leonard's Mills can enjoy the taste and experience of beanhole beans cooked in our bean pit on the site, during events and at special dinners.

For most of our special events, we prepare beans for visitors in several cast-iron pots. We also offer private beanhole bean dinners for groups of 50 or more - pre-registration is required.

Contact the museum office for more information, or to book a dinner for your group! 207.581.2871

Beanhole Bean Dinners
$15 Per Person Held On Site at Leonard's Mills in Bradley Sample Menu: Authentic Beanhole Beans Ham Cole Slaw Biscuits Campfire Coffee Lemonade	Visitors enjoying traditional Beanhole Beans at Leonard's Mills!
	Wood Shed for the Bean Hole Bean Pit

Recipe for bean-hole beans:

1. Dig a hole in the ground, 3 feet deep, and line it with rocks.
2. Build a fire in the hole, and let it burn down to large embers and ash. (This can take half a day to produce enough coals to properly cook the beans.)
3. Use dry beans, such as Pea beans, Great Northern, Yellow Eye, Jacob's Cattle, Marifax, or Soldier.
4. Other ingredients include onions, salt pork, ham hocks, bacon, tomatoes, brown sugar and molasses.

Put the beans and other ingredients in a cast-iron pot, add sufficient water to cover the contents, and put on the the lid. Place the pot in the hole, cover with a wet dish towel or burlap sack, shovel some of the embers and ashes on top of the pot, and then cover everything with dirt. Cooking time varies, depending on which recipe is used, but it can take as long as 16 hours. Then get ready with a shovel and a bowl!