Need help with old bean recipe

[Georgeann]

Several years ago a cook at a camping lodge in the Sierras fixed beans that I loved so much I asked him for the recipe. I did manage to copy it from a napkin to a recipe card, and then I forgot about it. I just rediscovered the recipe and would like to fix it, but I have some questions about the technique. Basically, he browned onions in bacon grease, and added 1 can each of baked beans, green beans, pinto beans and kidney beans, 1 can Las Palmas enchilada sauce and 1 can Las Palmas chile sauce. Then cook 4 hours. I don't know if I should drain the beans, and I don't know how to cook anything for 4 hours without burning it. I think he cooked it all afternoon on top of the stove, but it was a long time ago. Whatever he did, it was really, really good and I'd like to taste it again. I'd surely appreciate any help or advice.
George Ann

[nowIamone]

Hi Georgeann,
I think the four hours is way to long for canned beans on top of the stove or even on low in the oven. My guess would be 30-45 minutes, on low stirring often.

The beauty of your recipe is that you will be able to cook the dish and watch it, taste it, and easily determine when the flavors have blended and it's done.

[BombayBen]

it there something wrong with your keyboard?

[KYHeirloomer]

I would guess that you need to retain the liquid. Otherwise there's not much for the beans to simmer in, and they'll burn. If you drain them, you're looking at four cans of beans against two sauces.

NowIAmOne: I suspect you are right. Canned beans already are cooked, so shouldn't need long, slow simmering. But those mountain camp cooks are locked into the "cowboy cooking" thing, and it wouldn't surprise me that he did cook it four hours. For that you need a lot of liquid.

If I were making this, however, I would drain the beans, then cook for maybe a half hour to get all the flavors to meld.

[shel]

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer

NowIAmOne: I suspect you are right. Canned beans already are cooked, so shouldn't need long, slow simmering. But those mountain camp cooks are locked into the "cowboy cooking" thing, and it wouldn't surprise me that he did cook it four hours. For that you need a lot of liquid.

Also, if you're in the mountains, it often takes things longer to cook. Depending on where you are in the Sierras, you can be over two miles high. How much "cooking" time that might add would be hard for me to say, although somewhere @ mi casa there's a helpful chart for just such a thing.

Shel