Salt-Pork Style Beans with Onion & Hard Biscuits

Salt pork and beans fueled long sea voyages when fresh meat was scarce and hard biscuits stood in for bread. This simple pot simmers navy beans in savory pork fat with onion until thick enough to spoon beside crisp crackers.

Serves 4

Estimate for one serving

• 360 cal
• 12g protein
• 24g carbs
• 8g fat
• 12g fiber

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Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz) canned white beans or navy beans, drained
• 4 oz smoked bacon or salt pork, diced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water or light stock
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• for serving crackers or biscuits

Instructions

1. 1Render bacon/salt pork in a pot until edges crisp; leave the fat.
2. 2Add onion and cook until soft; stir in garlic 30 seconds.
3. 3Add beans, water/stock, bay leaf, and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes.
4. 4Mash a few beans against the pot to thicken. Taste for salt (bacon varies).
5. 5Serve with crackers — the modern hardtack stand-in.