Baked Beans

Tip: dried beans need to be soaked overnight, so plan accordingly.

In Brazil, cooks make feijoada, a dish of smoked meats and black beans, with dried beef called carne seca. Beef jerky is a clever approximation.

For a zippy version of a New England classic, Laurence Jossel bakes buttery Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye beans in a tangy-hot mixture of apple cider vinegar, molasses, brown sugar and crushed red pepper. Regular Italian cannellini or Great Northern beans can replace the Yellow Eyes.

This thick and savory soup, which is reminiscent of cowboy campfire cooking, is a delicious cross between baked beans and tomato soup. The crunchy, sweet corn muffin croutons make it even more rustic.

Paul Kirk's 89-year-old mother taught him this recipe for soft red-brown beans in a brothy liquid. The beans are cooked in the same smokers as the briskets, in pans placed underneath the meat to catch the drippings. The Burnt Ends in this recipe are optional, but add a nice smoky flavor to the beans along with the bacon.

Rancho Gordo farm founder Steve Sando is at the forefront of the current seed-saving movement, selling his exquisite heirloom dried beans to passionate followers. Here, F&W's Marcia Kiesel uses Sando's yellow eyes variety.