Cooking after disaster strikes: 6 Baked bean recipes for preppers

Prepper stockpiles often include staples like beans and rice. If you’re trying to maximize the space in your storage area, you might also have a lot of canned food, like baked beans.

Before SHTF, expand your cooking repertoire and learn these six delicious baked bean recipes. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.net)

Stock up on baked beans before disaster strikes

Baked beans are full of protein and fiber. They’re good for your gut health and they offer beneficial effects on your cholesterol levels.

Dried or canned beans are a staple in any prepper’s pantry and stockpile. But as an ingredient, they can get boring real fast if you don’t serve them in different dishes.

When buying baked beans, check the labels and avoid products with too much sodium and added sugar. Some of the recipes below add extra sugar and you don’t want to overload on salt and sugar with baked beans because you still need to eat healthy meals after SHTF. (Related: Food supply 101: What to cook when SHTF.)

Here are six recipes to try if you have baked beans in your survival stockpile.

Baked bean breakfast

This recipe was inspired by a Turkish dish called shakshuka. Use a large frying pan with a lid to cook this baked bean breakfast.

Ingredients for 2-4 servings:

• 1 Can baked beans
• 1 Can chopped tomatoes
• 4 Eggs
• Bread
• Butter
• Chili flakes
• Chopped bacon
• Cooking oil
• Grated cheese
• Mushrooms (optional)
• Pepper
• Salt

Preparation:

1. Fry the bacon and mushrooms in a little bit of oil. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces.
2. Add the can of beans and chopped tomatoes, then bring to a simmer. Season the beans and bacon with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
3. Crack the eggs gently into the baked bean mix. Don’t break the yolk.
4. Put the lid on the pan and let the mixture fry for at least five minutes, then sprinkle the grated cheese. The eggs should cook in the baked bean mixture while the yolks stay runny.
5. Remove the beans and eggs from the stove and spoon them out into bowls carefully so you don’t break the yolks.
6. Serve the beans with some bread.

Baked bean salad

Try this recipe if you want to eat something light like a baked bean salad.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 Can (21-ounce) baked beans
• 2 Small tomatoes, peeled & seeded
• 1/2 Cup stuffed green olive, sliced
• 1/4 Cup chopped green onion
• 4-6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard (Made from powdered mustard, seasonings and a liquid like water, vinegar, beer, or wine.)
• 1/4 Teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced
• 1 Sprig fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation:

1. Drain the beans and transfer them into a large bowl.
2. Cut the tomatoes into strips at least 1/3-inch thick. Add the tomatoes to the bowl with beans.
3. Add the olives and green onion to the beans and tomatoes, then fold together carefully.
4. Whisk the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until the ingredients are emulsified.
5. Add salt and pepper to the oil mixture and mix well.
6. Pour the oil dressing over the vegetable and fold together until they are well blended.
7. Before serving, garnish with a sliced egg and a sprig of parsley.

Barbecue chicken tostadas

You can prepare this dish if you have leftover cooked chicken.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2-2/3 Cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 Cups coleslaw mix
• 1 Cup baked beans
• 1 Cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• 2/3 Cup barbecue sauce
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/8 Teaspoon pepper
• 8 Tostada shells
• 2 Green onions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, brown sugar and pepper in a bowl then toss with the coleslaw mix and green onions. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Place the beans in a small saucepan and mash with a potato masher. Cook the mashed beans over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
4. Get another saucepan and mix the chicken and barbecue sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
5. To assemble, place the tostada shells on ungreased baking sheets. Spread with beans, then top with the chicken mixture and cheese. Broil three to four inches from heat until the tostada shells are lightly browned and cheese is melted for one to two minutes.
6. Top with slaw before serving.

Lamb and bean casserole

Make the seasoned flour for this lamb and bean casserole by adding your preferred seasonings like dried herbs, paprika, salt and pepper.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 700g lamb stewing steak, cubed
• 450g Baked beans
• 25g Butter
• 25g Seasoned flour
• 1 Vegetable stock cube prepared in 500ml of boiling water
• 1 Teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 Tomatoes, skinned and quartered
• 2 Onions, halved and sliced
• 2 Bay leaves

Preparation:

1. Toss the lamb in the seasoned flour.
2. Melt the butter in a flameproof casserole and fry the lamb until it is brown on all sides.
3. Add the tomatoes and onions and cook for one to two minutes.
4. Add the vegetable stock, bay leaves and thyme then bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Cover and simmer for one hour or until the lamb is tender.
5. Gently stir in the baked beans and cook for three to four minutes to heat through before serving.

Pork chops with baked beans

This recipe pairs succulent pork chops with smoky baked beans.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 (720g) Pork loin chops
• 400g Can borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
• 400g Can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 250g Cherry truss tomatoes, halved
• 1 Cup (250ml) chicken stock
• 1 (125g) Chorizo sausage, coarsely chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 Teaspoons olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 Teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1/2 Teaspoon smoked paprika
• A pinch of chili flakes, optional
• Arugula leaves
• Basil leaves
• Crusty bread

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and chorizo, then cook and stir for five minutes or until the chorizo is golden and crisp.
2. Add the garlic, paprika, chili and thyme to the chorizo. Cook for one minute or until it is aromatic.
3. Add the stock, combined beans and maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 10 mins.
4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the tomatoes have collapsed.
5. Heat a lightly oiled barbecue grill or chargrill on medium-high. Season the pork chops and cook in batches for three minutes on each side or until they are cooked through.
6. Divide the baked beans and pork chops among the serving plates.
7. Top the pork chops with basil leaves and serve with arugula.

Sweet and sour beans

You can keep sweet and sour beans warm by serving from a slow cooker.

Ingredients for 20 servings:

• 1 Can (28 ounces) baked beans, undrained
• 1 Can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Can (15-1/2 ounces) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 Can (15 ounces) lima beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar
• 8 Bacon strips, diced
• 2 Medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels. Drain the bacon fat and set aside two tablespoons of the drippings.
2. Saute the onions in the bacon drippings until they are tender. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. In a five-quart slow cooker, combine all the beans and peas. Add the onion mixture and bacon, then stir and mix well. Cover and cook on high for three to four hours or until the ingredients are heated through.

Learn different recipes that use stockpile staples like baked beans so you can cook for your family even after SHTF.

Sources include:

TheSurvivalistBlog.net

Food.com 1

Food.com 2

SaveTheStudent.org

TasteOfHome.com 1

CheckYourFood.com

Taste.com.au

TasteOfHome.com 2