Crock Pot Yellow Eye Beans

home baked yellow eye beans
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Soak Time: 8 hrs
Total: 16 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings

These old-fashioned homemade yellow eye beans contain a well-seasoned combination of brown sugar and molasses. A slow cooker makes this simple yet tasty dish a snap, and they are wonderful baked beans to serve as a side dish. The recipe is suitable for vegetarians, but feel free to omit the butter and add about 1/4 pound of diced salt pork or bacon to the crock pot if you like. A teaspoon of smoked paprika is another way to insert some smoky flavor.

Yellow eye beans have long been a favorite dry bean in the state of Maine. They are widely available these days; you'll find them in larger supermarkets and online. The beans are smaller than their relative, the kidney bean but larger than navy beans. Yellow eye beans are traditionally baked with molasses; they have a soft, creamy texture when baked.

The beans make a delicious meal with hot dogs or serve them with a big breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon or ham. They're excellent cookout beans as well.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried yellow eye beans

  • 1 small onion

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup molasses, not blackstrap

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. The evening before you plan to cook and serve, pick over beans. Discard any small stones and damaged or imperfect beans. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover the bowl and let the beans soak at room temperature overnight.

  2. In the morning, drain the beans and rinse them thoroughly. Put the beans in a stockpot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring the beans to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the husks curl when you blow on them. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse with hot water.

  3. Meanwhile, gather rest of ingredients, then peel and chop the onion into 1/4-inch dice.

  4. Put half of the beans in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the beans with half of the chopped onion and dot with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Repeat with the remaining beans, onion, and butter.

  5. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, molasses, ginger, mustard, and thyme, if using. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir to blend. Pour the mixture over the beans.

  6. Add just enough hot tap water to cover the beans.

  7. Cover the crock pot and cook them on low for about 5 to 7 hours, or until the beans are tender.

  8. Remove the cover the last hour to cook down (this depends on how soupy you like your beans), or cool the beans and reheat them on the stovetop. Taste the beans and add salt, as needed.

  9. Serve and enjoy.

Tip

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
158 Calories
3g Fat
29g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 158
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 429mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 385mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)