Grandma Jean's Beans

(Transferred from the old blog, Numeenum)

So now I have another family recipe, this one coming from my Dad's mom. It is a delicious, sweeter alternative to traditional chili. For a healthier, lower fat version use Turkey sausage and put in 1-2 teaspoons of rubbed sage. The recipe also calls for using dry beans. For the meal I made recently I used a 3 cup can of kidney beans and 1 cup dried pinto beans. This recipe is versatile and you can use whatever beans suit you. The standard recipe uses only the pinto beans, but I like a mix.

1 lb dry pinto beans 6 cups water and additional water
2 tbs oil
1 package Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage
1 cup chopped onions
2 medium or 3 small tart apples (Granny Smith work best)
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce
8 oz water

Soak 1 pound of dry pinto beans over night in 6 cups of water (don't forget to rinse), or do a quick soak by rinsing the beans, bringing the water and beans to a boil, covering and setting aside for an hour.

After soaking drain the water, replenish the water and add 2 tbsp of oil. Cook on medium/high and simmer until beans soften a little, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Brown sausage and break into bite size pieces. Core apples and chop, leaving the skin. Transfer beans to a crock pot or large pan. Drain sausage and add to beans. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 2-4 hours, or all day in a crock pot.


This is something that actually tastes even better after a day or two. So leftovers are always good.

For a vegetarian option, I think that using spices in sausage along with tvp or other soy 'meat' should cover it. I haven't tried it, but I will eventually. The spices include basil, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper, nutmeg, sage, and paprika.