Red snappers on split-top buns with a pot of baked beans that soaked overnight. If you’ve never had a red snapper, yes, the hot dog is supposed to be that red. The color comes from dye on a natural casing, and the casing gives it the snap that earns the name. (I bought mine from W.A. Bean & Sons.)
Maine’s Secretary of State counts red snappers among the state’s food traditions, served at campfires, fairs, roadside stands, and bean suppers (the Maine Atlas).
This story starts with bean suppers. For generations, Maine towns have gathered in grange halls, church basements, and town halls to share a plate on a Saturday night. Many of those same rooms open their doors on Election Day. Same long tables, same neighbors, a different reason to show up.
Five minutes, or overnight
The hot dog takes five minutes. The beans take a plan. You soak them the night before, then bake them low and slow for hours. Nobody decides at 5 p.m. to serve baked beans at 6.
Voting works the same way. Every voter should know a few things: whether you’re registered, how you want to vote, your deadlines, and where to go. Each one takes a minute to learn ahead of time and can cost you a vote if you learn it at the door.
A vote shouldn’t be a snap decision. Bake the plan in early.
Guidance for Everyone:
If you vote in Maine
Early in-person voting is open now at your town or city clerk’s office.
Want a mail ballot? Request it by Thursday, October 29. Return it early, by mail, at your clerk’s office, or in your town’s drop box if it has one. It has to arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polls close at 8 p.m. Opening times vary by town.
Not registered yet? Maine lets you register in person, right up through Election Day.
Your town clerk can confirm the details for your town.
If you vote anywhere else
Every state writes its own recipe. Some mail every voter a ballot. Some require a photo ID at the polls. Some let you register on Election Day, and others closed registration weeks ago. Some count a mail ballot postmarked by Election Day, and others need it in hand when the polls close.
The easiest way to learn your state’s rules is Vote.org’s voter tools. You can check your registration, find your deadlines, request a mail ballot, and look up your polling place. It takes about two minutes.
My plan
I’m voting by mail-in ballot and delivering it in-person to an official drop box.
I also signed up to work the polls before and on Election Day. Elections don’t run themselves. Your neighbors run them: the people who check you in, hand you a ballot, answer questions, and stay late to close up. I’m proud to be one of them this year.
Bring a dish
A bean supper works because everyone brings something. A voting plan works better the same way.
Once you set your plan, ask three friends about theirs: mail, early in person, or Election Day. A text takes ten seconds. That reminder might be what gets someone to the polls.
Thank you for cooking along with The Maine Course this election season. No matter where you live, I’ll see you at the table.
Be kind, feed your mind, and use resources like Vote.org and 866-OUR-VOTE.
Slade’s Maine-style Baked Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb dried white beans (Navy, Great Northern, or regular white beans will do.)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/4 pound salt pork, sliced into 1/4-inch slabs (should be about 6-8 slabs)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt
2-3 sprigs of thyme, bound with cooking twine
1 large dried bay leaf
Directions:
Rinse the beans and pick them over to remove any stones. Place them in a large bowl and cover with water, at least 2 inches above the beans. Let them soak overnight.
In the morning, pour the beans and remaining water into a large pot, add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches again, and parboil until the beans are tender and the skins crack when you blow on them, about 60-90 minutes.
While the beans boil, dice 2 of the 1/4-inch salt pork slabs and fry the diced pieces in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pieces are light brown and have rendered most of their fat, add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
Drain the beans, reserving the hot liquid. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, molasses, mustard, pepper, and salt with 2 cups of the liquid. Stir until fully incorporated.
Pour the beans into an oven-safe pot, add the cooked onion and diced pork, and gently stir to distribute evenly.
Lay the salt pork slices on top of the beans and pour the molasses mixture over the pork and beans. Add more of the hot bean liquid to ensure the beans are fully covered in liquid.
Bake, covered, at 300°F for 6 hours. Check every couple of hours and add more liquid or hot water as needed.
Serve and enjoy!
Slade Wentworth | The Dad Briefs covers the civic, political, and quietly human stories that shape family life in America, with recipes along the way.
There’s nothing more American than Sunday baked beans and red snappers. Thanks for the food memory ❤️
Ayuh…. Beans and red snappahs deah…. and votin’…. We like both heah in Maine… and we’ll be real happy when we retiah Suzie on Votin’ Day, Tuesday, Novembah 3!