WHAT KIND OF BEAN?
It’s the Navy bean…a small white bean…that is traditionally used in historic American recipes and manufactured pork and bean products. Surprised? Most people are. It is the sauce that makes these beans look light brown. Picture of navy beans here. About Navy beans What we now know as the Navy bean existed long before the U.S. Navy. It is a new world food that was cultivated and cooked by Native Americans. The military moniker? Food historians tell us the name was a result of this bean’s recognition and utilization by the U.S. Navy for its nutritious, versatile, and portable properties. History notes here: “Navy bean…Also called “pea bean” or “beautiful bean.” The navy bean is one of several varieties of kidney bean (phaseolus vulgaris). The name comes from the fact that it has been a standard food of the United States Navy since at least 1856, despite an old popular song that claims that “the Navy gets the gravy, but the Army gets the beans.” —The Encyclopedia of American Food
