SAVORY BEAN STEW

1 cup dry beans or whole peas
1 quart water
1/4 cup diced salt pork
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 pound chopped beef
2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked or canned tomatoes (or 2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped raw tomatoes)
salt and ground black pepper

Boil beans or peas in the water 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour or overnight.

Fry salt pork until crisp, remove from pan, and brown onion in the fat.

Add meat and stir and cook slowly a few minutes.

Combine all ingredients, season, and simmer until meat is tender and flavors are blended.

VARIATIONS:

CHILI CON CARNE
Add 2 to 4 teaspoons chili powder and a little garlic to recipe. Red kidney, and the pink beans of the West, are favorites for this dish.

HOPPING JOHN
Add 1/2 cup dry blackeye peas to 2 1/4 cups ham broth. Boil 2 minutes, soak 1 hour or overnight. Cook covered until almost tender. Add l/2 cup raw rice, 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham. Cook gently 20 to 30 minutes. The broth should be almost gone when the rice is tender.

Makes about 4 servings
From: Recipelink.com
Adapted from source: Money-Saving Main Dishes, USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 43, 1955