Martha Washington’s Colonial Pork and Beans
It is absolutely amazing to look at primary sources and see exactly how hospitality was handled back at Mount Vernon. I recently went down a historical rabbit hole and was actually able to find a digitized copy of Martha Washington’s Cookery Book, originally printed in 1892.
If you flip over to page 94 of that amazing time capsule, you’ll find the foundation for today’s post: a classic recipe for Pork and Beans. While George and Martha Washington were famous for hosting thousands of guests, this dish represents the kind of hearty, reliable meal that truly sustained a large estate. It’s a perfect example of 18th-century “comfort food,” utilizing preserved salt pork and dried beans that could easily be stored right through the cold Virginia winters.
When you make this in your own kitchen, you’re looking at a direct link to the hearth-style cooking managed by the highly skilled, enslaved culinary staff at the plantation. It is a fantastic way to experience history through flavor.
I’ve scaled down the massive colonial proportions so you can easily make this at home. Here is the breakdown for a family-sized serving:
Martha’s Pork and Beans (Serves 4)
The Ingredients:
1 quart (approx. 2 lbs) of dried navy beans or pea beans
½ lb of salt pork (look for a nice, thick piece with a good fat-to-lean ratio)
1 teaspoon of salt (you might want to adjust this based on how salty your pork is!)
1 tablespoon of molasses (this is the secret to that classic colonial sweetness and rich color)
½ teaspoon of dry mustard (optional, but highly recommended for a bit of tang)
The Preparation:
The Soak: Start by soaking your dried beans in a large bowl of cold water overnight. You want them to absorb the water and double in size.
The Parboil: Drain the soaking water. Place the beans in a large pot with fresh water and simmer gently until the skins just begin to burst. Historical trick: take a few beans on a spoon and blow on them; if the skins peel back from your breath, they are ready to go!
The Pork: Score the rind of your salt pork into small squares with a sharp knife. Place about half of the pork directly in the bottom of your Dutch oven or bean pot.
The Mix: Drain your parboiled beans and pour them into the pot over the pork. In a separate bowl, take your molasses, salt, and mustard, mix them with a cup of boiling water, and pour that rich liquid right over the top of the beans.
The Bake: Place the remaining half of your pork on top of the beans, rind-side up. Add just enough hot water to cover the beans completely.
The Finish: Cover the pot with a heavy lid and bake at a low temperature (around 300°F) for at least 6 hours. Check on it occasionally to ensure the beans haven’t dried out, adding a splash of hot water if needed. Remove the lid for the last hour of baking to let that pork rind get nice and crisp.
Serve this up with some rustic bread, and you’ve got a meal fit for a Founding Father.
If you want to dive deeper into the historical recipes, how they were adapted, and the fascinating culinary history of the Washington estate, I highly recommend checking out Mount Vernon’s official site here.