Cranberry Pot Beans

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried cranberry beans
• 2-3 tablespoons lard (or oil)
• 1 small onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
• 2-3 quarts cold water

Instructions

1. 1

   Sort through the beans and discard any rocks or shriveled beans

2. 2

   Rinse the beans and drain well

3. 3

   Add beans to a wide saucepan or pot and cover with at least 12 cups of water, or so the water level is 2" above the beans

4. 4

   Add the roughly chopped onion and 2-3 tablespoons of lard (or oil)

5. 5

   Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer for 2-3 hours partially covered. Ensure that the water level is well above the beans by adding more water if you need to (I added an additional 4-6 cups of water to this batch).

6. 6

   Start biting into them after 1 1/2 hours. If they are hard or grainy they need a little more time.

7. 7

   Once done add 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Take a final taste for salt. (I added another generous pinch to this batch).

8. 8

   If you want, portion into 1 cup sized bags (or jars). Include plenty of the broth in the portion bags.