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Lightened-Up Baked Beans Ludington-Style

2018-07-03

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Simmer these rich, smokey-flavored baked beans in a slow-cooker and be the hit at your next family get-together or neighborhood picnic. 

By: Jodie Shield, RD

Can you imagine a summer picnic without baked beans? It’s tradition at our family get-togethers to serve Grandma Sally’s Ludington Baked Beans. The first time I tasted her savory, slow-cooked beans, AKA Old Settler Beans, was in Ludington, Michigan.  Ludington is famous for its Great Lakes car ferryboat (the Badger) and historic lighthouse, but as far as my kids are concerned, it’s the beans.  My husband’s family owns a rustic, log cabin there and whenever the Shield Clan made their annual Fourth of July visit, Grandma Sally baked her beans.

When I found out July was National Picnic Month, I just knew I had to lighten up her recipe.  For starters, I nixed the cup of added sugar and added extra molasses.  To retain the rich, smokey flavor and trim greasy fat, I used turkey bacon. And, I browned a small amount of ground sirloin (95% lean) then drained any fat left in the pan.  I tossed all of the beans and everything else into a slow cooker (you can also use a Dutch oven) and let them simmer for a couple of hours.  Whatever your family decides to call these delicious beans – Ludington or Old Settler, they are memorable!

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Ludington Baked Beans

Makes 10 servings

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound lean ground sirloin
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • ¼ pound turkey bacon, chopped
  • 1 15-ounce can unsalted, red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can unsalted, navy beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can unsalted butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 tablespoons molasses

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the lean ground beef and onion until beef is brown and onions are soft.  Drain and discard the fat.
  2. Add the beef and onion mixture to a slow-cooker along with the turkey bacon, kidney beans, navy beans, butter beans, brown sugar, ketchup dry mustard and molasses. Mix until everything is well combined.
  3. Simmer in the slow-cooker over low-heat for at least four hours.

Nutrition Information (per 3/4 cup serving): 242 calories, 16.5 grams protein, 36 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 8 grams dietary fiber, 265 milligrams sodium

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