Pinto beans with ham
At Christmas, I froze the leftover ham bone and forgot all about it until I was craving a big pot of beans. The original recipe calls for smoked ham hocks, but check your freezer first for what you might have stashed there.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Soak time 12 hours hrs
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 large onion, cut in half
- 1 pound smoked ham hocks or large ham bone
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- salt, to taste
- finely chopped onion
- bacon crumbles
In large pot, soak beans in salt water overnight, or for 8-12 hours. Drain water and pick through beans for any stones, etc.
When ready to cook, add soaked beans, stock, water, halved onion, ham and bay leaves to a large pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1.5 hours.
When ready to serve, remove bay leaves, season with seasonings and top with chopped onions and bacon crumbles.
- Adapted from Grandbaby Cakes
- To store in refrigerator, cool completely and transfer to airtight container. Use within 4 days.
- To freeze, store in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight