Ham Hock and Beans Recipe

Soul food ham hock and beans for the win

What's more satisfying than the heavenly taste of beans spiced up with ham? Deliciously smoky ham hocks and tender-creamy beans make classic soul food. Let everything slowly simmer together, and voila! – the perfect dinner is ready!

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine Southern

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Soaking Time 8

Total Time 9 25

Servings

Calories 639kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds smoked ham hock (about 2)
2 cups beef stock
3 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pour the dried pinto beans into a large bowl and add enough water to cover them with three inches. Soak overnight (or up to 24 hours) to soften them. Drain and rinse beans when ready to use. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, thyme, and carrot. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion softens.
Next, add Creole seasoning (salt-free), bouillon powder, and cayenne pepper. Saute for about 1 minute to thoroughly combine, then add the pinto beans and ham hock. Pour in beef stock and water and stir until thoroughly combined.
Bring the beans to a boil. Then lower the heat, cover, and simmer them for 60-90 minutes until the beans are soft and the gravy is slightly thick.
About 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking, carefully remove the ham from the pot using tongs. Using a fork, pull the meat off the bone, shred it into small pieces, and put the meat and bone (if desired) back into the beans. Add more water if required, stir well to thoroughly combine, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Cook beans to the desired doneness. If they're still hard and chalky in the middle, add 30 more minutes. They should be tender with a thick gravy but not falling apart.
If you want to save time, use canned beans instead. That way, you don't have to soak or cook them as long. However, making your own beans from scratch is a whole lot cheaper.
If you'd like a more robust beefy goodness, replace the water with low-sodium broth so you don't end up with salty ham and beans.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition