SPOILER ALERT! I’m going to simmer beans, garlic, and aromatic vegetables on the hearth of my parlor fireplace. But you can make this very same deliciousness in a pot on the stove. Both cooking-techniques will produce the same end-result — a fragrant and nourishing one-pot meal:
Bean & Garlic Stew
Ingredients for 6 large servings
16 oz of dried beans (all one kind or a mixture), soaked overnight in a big bowl of water
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
5-10 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 tsp dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 lb piece of salt pork
6 cups water
Special equipment for fireplace cooking: A glazed, terra-cotta bean pot which will hold at least 3 quarts
First, build a “cooking fire.” A cooking fire is one which produces abundant heat within minutes. As pictured above, set two pieces of seasoned, perfectly-dry wood in a triangular-fashion directly on the firebox floor.
Notice I don’t use an iron grate in my fireplace? That’s because a grate isn’t necessary for burning wood.
Next, wad up single sheets of newspaper, and tuck them between the two pieces of wood.
And here’s a tip: if you like to use wood ashes as a soil amendment — I certainly do — never use commercial “fire-starter” sticks or bricks. They contain petroleum, which is a garden no-no.
Set dry twigs or thinly-split pieces of firewood on the newspaper.
Lay two more pieces of wood above the newspaper-and-twig kindling, as shown.
Add two more logs to the works, as shown.
Finally, ignite the fire by taking a match to the newspaper kindling. In less than 5 minutes, you’ll have a big, roaring fire.
Every now and then, jostle the wood with your fireplace “poker.” This will will cause red-hot embers to fall upon the firebox floor. It is the embers which will heat your room and cook your food.
Rearrange and add more wood as needed.
Oh. To mitigate the chance of stray embers flying into the room, place a screen in front of your fireplace.
Now onto the stew!
Pour the previously-soaked beans into a bean pot. (If you are making this stew on a modern stove top, see directions at the end of this article.)
and then smash up and peel the garlic.
And by the way, when you smash a clove of garlic, its peel tends to fall right off. I use a short, stout water glass to smash my home-grown, hard-neck garlic.
Pour the carrots, onion, and smashed garlic into the bean pot.
Add a teaspoon of thyme to the pot, along with several grinds of black pepper.
Now bury a tiny piece (1/4 lb) of salt pork in the bean and veggie mixture. We will not be eating this pork. Its purpose is to infuse the stew with intense flavor.
If, for any reason, you wish to omit the salt pork, be sure to add a half teaspoon of salt to the stew. You can always add more later, if you feel the brew needs it.
Add 6 cups of water to the bean pot, put the lid on, and bring the pot to the fireplace.
Position the pot on the hearth where it will simmer gently, but never boil. At my fireplace, the corner of the firebox is the ideal location. There the stew usually reaches the simmer-stage after 30 minutes.
Every 30 minutes or so, remove the lid from the pot, and give the ingredients a stir. Add more water if necessary. (Be sure to use a pot holder when removing the lid!)
Also, give the pot a 1/4 turn every 30 minutes.
After three hours have passed, test the stew. If most of the liquid has been absorbed, if the beans are perfectly tender, and if a clove of garlic melts in your mouth, the stew is definitely done. Otherwise, more simmering is in order.
And if the stew is ready before your guests arrive, just move the pot closer to the room-side of the hearth. In this position the stew will remain hot for several hours — providing you keep the fire burning.
Well, I hope I haven’t scared you off the whole idea of fireplace cooking. Yes, it takes a little practice. It also takes a sense of adventure. But once you get the hang of things, you’ll quickly realize that you can cook anything and everything on an open hearth — just as our ancestors did.
Want to cook this stew on your modern stove top? Here’s the recipe, which you can copy and paste:
Bean & Garlic Stew
Ingredients for 6 large servings
16 oz dried beans (either all one kind of a mixture of several), soaked overnight
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
5-10 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 tsp dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 lb piece of salt pork
6 cups waterSpecial equipment – a heavy-bottomed pot which will hold at least 3 quarts; a lid for the pot
Combine all ingredients in the large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover the pot, reduce heat, and let the stew simmer gently. The stew is done when most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the beans are perfectly tender — about 2 hours.
Folks, this stew will nourish your soul on a cold winter’s eve. Promise me you’ll make it, okay?
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Terry says
I will try this recipe in my crockpot! Alas I have no fireplace:( But in case I ever do, now I know how to build a fire.
Cary Bradley says
Thanks Kevin for sharing the delicious-sounding stew! and cooked in the fireplace, better yet. Technique may come in handy in the next few days (anticipating power outage in southeastern CT. Eek! Ohh! Kevin, do you want to share your source for seed garlic? I’d hoped to save some back from garden this Fall, but showed off to my visiting daughter and sent her home with the biggest heads :). Need to find stash to plant before it is too late! Stay dry, dear boy!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Terry – Should be delicious when simmered in a crock pot. Let me know how it turns out for you, okay?
Hi Cary – Big storm coming this way, too. Stay safe! As for seed-garlic, I found local, hard-neck garlic at my supermarket (Hannaford) last week, and planted it (about 60 individual cloves) yesterday. You might have the same luck with your own local supermarket or farm-stand.
Billie says
I’m making this tomorrow – you’ve not given me a bad recipe yet Kevin. Still loving the cheese danish.!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Billie – So glad you tried — and liked — the Cheese Danish. And that reminds me…cheese danish would make a winning dessert-course for this Garlic & Bean Stew!
Wilma Tyler Dibelka says
During the winter I cook on the Vermont Castings wood stove in the living room. It (the stove … a Defiant) keeps the house warm and the pot on top keeps the house smelling good (As Julia said … I love to smell food cooking, it makes me feel at home). With trivets, I even bake some in a castiron pan on top of the stove. And, of course, the kettle is always on for coffee or tea.
I will definitely try your bean and garlic stew this winter. Thank you.
Terry says
Kevin I noticed your soup bowl looks just like my favorite soup bowl! I got 7 free when the lady next door died and I use them nearly every day.
Martha Ellen says
Kevin your bean stew looks wonderful! I love that you cook on the hearth! I’ll try this soon but maybe use bacon instead of salt pork—I think this will work fine–don’t you? We now have gas logs in our main fireplace but have two others that I could use for cooking. Just might have to try that hearth cooking!
badger gardener says
No fireplace : ( , but this will be a great recipe for my Yellow Indian Woman beans. This is going on next weekend’s menu.
Kate says
When we lose power in the winter, we cook on top of our wood stove. I agree, food tastes great cooked over a fire! Thanks for the recipe; we’ll try it (probably in our crock pot…).
Michelle says
I will try this in the crock pot tomorrow and the pumpkin muffins too! I do believe my Aunt Gail and Uncle Rob met you this week. They’re travelling the states for months and posted a photo with you! How cool!!!
Heather says
Kevin, that bean stew looks amazing, and I noticed that you had very colourful beans. Would you mind letting me know what beans you had in your mix so I can copy it. We are coming into our summer over here in New Zealand but I can still use your recipes.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us. Kind regards
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Michelle – Nice to meet you. Yes, Gail and Rob were here about 3 weeks ago. If you are related to Gail, who is my second cousin, then you are also distantly related to me. How about that?
Heather – For the recipe above, I used Goya’s 16 Bean Soup Mix. It’s actually a mixture of 15 colorful beans plus pearl barley (a type of wheat), and it is sold in a 16 oz bag. The beans: Pinto beans, small red beans, pink beans, red kidney beans, great northern beans, baby lima beans, large lima beans, blackeye peas, small white beans, black beans, whole green peas, yellow split peas, green split peas, lentils, chick peas.
OR SSS says
Dulse/seaweed is a good and oft used vegetarian substitute for pork products.
kim says
if You don’t eat pork…. use what? Bacon yeast and one source EVOO ?
Foul Woman with a few goats says
I am making this for dinner tonite. I feel we need our souls warmed a bit. I make a small modification and that was to add a very small jalepano pepper just for a kick of heat. I’m thinking some cheddar cornbread to go with it. Do you have a recipe for that just laying about? Thanks Kevin
Michelle says
Tried the recipe in the crock pot today… still working on it – I think stove-top (or hearth) would have been better. It’s got a LOT of liquid though the ingredients are mostly done. I took the lid off, and may thicken it a bit before serving – it’s Monday night football (49ers) so we have a gang coming for dinner. Next time, I’ll use the stove. Tastes great though!
Gail & Rob are related through marriage – Rob is my father-in-law’s brother. Thanks for the great site – I keep recommending it!
Julie says
Hey Kevin, I made this in the crock pot yesterday. It works to put the crock on top of the woodstove (in back) and let it simmer all day. Very yummy!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Julie – So glad you tried — and liked –this stew. Also – nice to know that it worked out well for you in a crockpot set on the back of your woodstove!