Soup Beans

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Back in the day my mama would make a big pot of white beans and she called them soup beans. Anyone else ever hear white beans called soup beans? They sure were good.

 

[Bird]

Jerry, the white beans we used to have were called Navy Beans. So living in Oklahoma and Texas, we didn't call them soup beans, but even a cursory glance online shows that was a common name in your part of the country. But I like'em by whatever name.:laughing:

 

[WVBill]

I grew up in Southern California - I just remember them being "beans". My wife and her family are from Philadelphia MS and Memphis TN and she confirms they were called "Soup Beans". She calls 'em Navy Beans now. I hate it when she sends me to the store with a list that just says "a can of beans"... Do you know how many different kind of "beans" there are?!! :confused2:

 

[Bird]

Bill, that sounds like my wife's grocery list. Inevitably, I have to call to ask what she meant. Maybe that's good, though, since that's the only time my cell phone gets used.:laughing: Incidentally, when we got married, my wife told me that her family liked "October Beans" instead of Pinto Beans. It was many years before I learned what she was talking about. And now, that's what I had today, except instead of "October Beans", the local Kroger's store has them labelled as "Cranberry Beans". And Kroger's is the only place in this part of the country that I've found them. They aren't really much different from Pinto Beans; maybe a tiny bit sweeter.

 

[smstonypoint]

Bill, that sounds like my wife's grocery list. Inevitably, I have to call to ask what she meant. Maybe that's good, though, since that's the only time my cell phone gets used.:laughing: Incidentally, when we got married, my wife told me that her family liked "October Beans" instead of Pinto Beans. It was many years before I learned what she was talking about. And now, that's what I had today, except instead of "October Beans", the local Kroger's store has them labelled as "Cranberry Beans". And Kroger's is the only place in this part of the country that I've found them. They aren't really much different from Pinto Beans; maybe a tiny bit sweeter.

My late wife cooked Cranberry Beans. They must have been available at Winn-Dixie (now defunct), Bi-Lo, Ingles, or WM in SC.

Steve

 

[Jstpssng]

Just out of curiousity, is this what you guys are talking about?
Vermont Cranberry - Dry Bean Seed | Johnny's Selected Seeds

Every year I grow a row, but never seem to get around to using them. My chickens sure love them after I run them through the grinder though.

 

[Bird]

The picture of the beans looks like the Cranberry Beans we buy, but that shows $9.75 a pound???? I paid $1.69 a pound at a Denton, TX, Kroger's a couple of days ago.

 

[oosik]

Those soup beans are navy beans around here. Makes no diff what you call them - they are good.

 

[Stimw]

Soup Beans and cornbread! OH YEA!
I'm from Cincinnati and there is a large Kentucky influence where they are very popular.

 

[ovrszd]

I've never heard em called white beans.....

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Navy beans, generous bits of smoked ham, and fried cornbread.... my o my... My wife makes a pot of beans that will make any grown man cry for seconds.

 

[Jstpssng]

The picture of the beans looks like the Cranberry Beans we buy, but that shows $9.75 a pound???? I paid $1.69 a pound at a Denton, TX, Kroger's a couple of days ago.

That's for seed, not for food.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Navy beans, Great Northern beans; my Dad called them "dishwater beans" and he wouldn't eat them at all. I do like a bowl of bean soup now and then.

 

[zionview]

I grow Great Northern white beans. They are pure white and are a very nice bean for soups. My DIL makes ham and bean soup using them and it's very good, and they work nice for vegetable soup, too. I let them dry as much as possible on the vine, then shell with a pea sheller on a chordless drill and run them through the dehydrator lightly (one damp bean will ruin a whole lot). I use old plastic containers like party mix comes in for short term storage. I throw them in the freezer dry for long term. Culturally, I grow them in rows in plastic with drip irrigation tape underneath, an inch to inch and a half between plants. A little late season trellising will help keep low hanging pods from getting wet and spoiling the beans in them. They sprout quickly with a little moisture.

 

[Jstpssng]

Baked beans on Saturday night is an old New England tradition which we enjoyed every weekend. My mother would put yelloweye beans, salt pork and molasses in the bean pot in the morning, then they would bake all day in the oven. In the afternoon she would bake biscuits, then cook up hotdogs to make the meal complete.
:licking:

Now I occasionally do them up in the crock pot, and at least once every summer I cook up a batch of beanhole beans in my 10 quart dutch oven.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Navy beans, Great Northern beans; my Dad called them "dishwater beans" and he wouldn't eat them at all. I do like a bowl of bean soup now and then.

As near as I can tell, the only difference between navy beans and great northern beans is that the navy beans are slightly smaller. Your dad missed out. A pot of navy beans and onions with a smoked ham shank makes a great meal. It's also a great way to use up a ham bone after you have cut most of the meat off. The bone broth after a couple days in the pot makes a great flavor.

 

[Jstpssng]

I grow Great Northern white beans. They are pure white and are a very nice bean for soups. My DIL makes ham and bean soup using them and it's very good, and they work nice for vegetable soup, too. I let them dry as much as possible on the vine, then shell with a pea sheller on a chordless drill and run them through the dehydrator lightly (one damp bean will ruin a whole lot). I use old plastic containers like party mix comes in for short term storage. I throw them in the freezer dry for long term. Culturally, I grow them in rows in plastic with drip irrigation tape underneath, an inch to inch and a half between plants. A little late season trellising will help keep low hanging pods from getting wet and spoiling the beans in them. They sprout quickly with a little moisture.

Do you plant the seeds before you lay the plastic or how do you do it? I plant about 2 1/2 lbs of beans every year, (1 yellow eye, 1/2 each Vermont cranberry, Black turtle soup, and red kidney) but the weeds always seem to get away from me.

 

[zionview]

Do you plant the seeds before you lay the plastic or how do you do it? I plant about 2 1/2 lbs of beans every year, (1 yellow eye, 1/2 each Vermont cranberry, Black turtle soup, and red kidney) but the weeds always seem to get away from me.

I lay all my plastic at once so I can free up the tractor for other things. I cut slots about 2 feet long and skip a foot to seed. I soak the beans for a few hours before I plant and plant by hand. I've gotten better stands since I started that. I still have to weed the seed slot, but it's a lot less area to take care of.

 

[Jstpssng]

I lay all my plastic at once so I can free up the tractor for other things. I cut slots about 2 feet long and skip a foot to seed. I soak the beans for a few hours before I plant and plant by hand. I've gotten better stands since I started that. I still have to weed the seed slot, but it's a lot less area to take care of.

Thank you. I'll have to try that.

 

[cqaigy2]

Navy beans, generous bits of smoked ham, and fried cornbread.... my o my... My wife makes a pot of beans that will make any grown man cry for seconds.

I like a bit of vinegar in them too, and if the cornbreads fried in bacon grease, not sure i can stop at seconds. :laughing: