Five Bean Salad

I make this recipe for five bean salad often. It's a hit at pot luck dinners and family gatherings. And of course, alongside a tasty venison main course.

The sweet and sour taste of the dressing is the key to this recipe. I've experimented with different ratios of sugar to vinegar and found that a one-to-one mixture creates the right balance of flavor. If you find it a little to sweet or too sour for your taste, feel free to adjust the amount of vinegar or sugar in the recipe.

Bill's Five Bean Salad

The Dressing

• One and one-half cups cider vinegar
• One and one-half cups cane sugar
• Three-quarters cup salad oil or light olive oil
• One teaspoon salt
• One-half teaspoon white pepper
• One-half teaspoon minced garlic
• One-quarter teaspoon red pepper flakes

Combine these ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to prevent scorching. When the sugar is completely dissolved, cover the pan and remove from heat.

The Beans and Veggies

• One can (15 ounce) each, of...
  • Red kidney beans
  • Black beans
  • Green beans
  • Yellow wax beans
  • Baby lima beans
• One large red onion, sliced thinly
• One-half cup celery, thinly sliced

Rinse and drain the beans, then combine with the onion and celery. Pour the still-hot dressing over the bean mixture and allow to cool for a bit before refrigerating at least four hours, and preferably overnight.

Serve a couple of scoops of this five bean salad alongside a slice of butterflied venison backstrap or a crispy slice of fried deer heart. Oh yeah. Don't forget the cornbread!

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