Early settlers learned to make baked beans from the Indians who buried their bean pots in the embers of a fire or in a preheated hole beneath it. Settlers only fired up the brick or stone ovens once a week and devoted the day to baking. Beans were cooked overnight in the last of the brick-oven heat. Cracks around the door were sealed with mud or clay to prevent heat from escaping. Today, one-dish dinners are for busy people with little time for cooking.
Moist cooking is one of the easiest ways to prepare meals.
A slow simmer tenderizes tougher cuts of meat and restores dried beans into money-saving dishes and conserves fuel. All of this month's recipes can be cooked in a heavy pot on top of the stove, baked in the oven between 250 degrees and 300 degrees or cooked in a crock-pot. The meat in the fragrant pork recipe can be stewed or braised. Braising involves first browning the meat which contributes to flavor and reduces the overall cooking time a little. But added steps mean more work and dirty dishes.