Dimitri wrote:
>
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>
> <Snip>
>
>> Thanks for that. I saved it. I'm making a big batch of baked beans for
>> a pot luck on July 4th, though I'll be using the crockery cooker
>> instead of the oven. I like the proportions of molasses, sugar and
>> mustard in your recipe so I'll give it a try.
>>
>> I soak my beans overnight then cook them with bacon before I
>> crock-cook them. I just substitute the slow-cooker for the oven. Uses
>> less electricity and keeps the kitchen cooler.
>>
>> --
>> Janet Wilder
>> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
>> Good Friends. Good Life
>
> I have tried both ways Oven, & slow cooker.
>
> IMHO the evaporation that takes place in the oven and the shape of a
> bean pot makes a difference to the final product.
>
> Slow cookers tend to be a sealed environment not allowing for
> evaporation. I think as the sugars in the molasses & brown sugar (white
> sugar & Molasses) caramelize it creates the rich brown color and "almost
> burnt" flavor that are present on Old Fashioned beans.

If you do them overnight at low temperature in a "decent" slow cooker
(not like the horrible Rival Crock Pot that I trashed when it burnt up a
batch of beans)the evaporation is fine. The beans caramelize to a rich,
dark brown and I have never been able to see or taste the difference
between slow-cooker and oven. The Hamilton Beech that I have has a
small hole in the lid for the temperature probe to go and that little
hole allows evaporation.
>
> It is that Old fashioned flavor & rich sauce I was looking for.
>
>


--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life