SOUP BEANS AND HAM
A pot of tender navy beans cooked with a ham bone and chunks of ham. Pure comfort food.
Servings 8
Calories 450kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound navy beans (great northern, pinto)
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 cooked hambone or (2) ham hocks
- 2-3 cups cooked ham chunks
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2- 1 cup chow-chow
Instructions
- Place the beans in a bowl of water and sort through them, removing any that look black or bad. Sometimes you will even find a little rock in there. Rinse them in cold water and place in a large saucepan or Dutch oven
- Cover the beans with water. Bring to a boil. As soon as they come to a boil, drain them in a colander. Place the beans back in the pan and cover with cold water. (I start with about 3-4 inches of water over the beans). Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover them partially with a lid.
- Add the ham bone, ham hocks, or large piece of whole ham at this time. Simmer the beans about 4 hours, stirring frequently and adding additional water as it cooks down. Cook down to desired thickness. The beans will thicken more when they cool.
- When the beans are soft, but not mushy, stir in the chunks of ham, cover the pot and turn them off.
- Serve with sides like cornbread, fried potatoes, chopped onions, and chow-chow.
Notes
Calorie count provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
NOTES:
Sometimes I have trouble finding a ham bone or ham hocks. When I bake a ham, if boneless, I always cut off a piece from the end and freeze for later use when I make these beans. A variety of beans can be used instead of just the navy beans. Pinto, great northern, or the bags of mixed beans with cranberry beans are also great. For the full comfort food meal, serve with cornbread and fried potatoes. Add the chunks of ham at the end, when the beans are cooked. This will keep them the pink color. If you cook them for a long time, they will become brown and dry.
Sometimes I have trouble finding a ham bone or ham hocks. When I bake a ham, if boneless, I always cut off a piece from the end and freeze for later use when I make these beans. A variety of beans can be used instead of just the navy beans. Pinto, great northern, or the bags of mixed beans with cranberry beans are also great. For the full comfort food meal, serve with cornbread and fried potatoes. Add the chunks of ham at the end, when the beans are cooked. This will keep them the pink color. If you cook them for a long time, they will become brown and dry.