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overhead picture of the Best Ham and Beans

Best Ham and Beans

Elise
Savory Ham and Beans in a medium light broth loaded with fresh herbs, onion, jalapeno, spices, and ham hock ham.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound pinto beans any kind of legumes are good
  • Fresh Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Leaves 4-5 sticks and leaves each
  • water enough to cover the bean in the bean brine
  • 1 ham hock or leftover holiday ham, any ham will do
  • 1 onion, medium size cut up
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 jalapenos to taste, cut up
  • 6-8 cups chicken broth depend on how thick or thin you like
  • 1 tbsp chili powder or to taste
  • 1 tbsp cinammon more or less to taste
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste add after it's cooked through

Instructions
 

  • Step 1: First you start out by "brining" your beans. This brine doesn't include salt like a chicken brine does but it does require fresh woody herbs like Rosemary and Thyme Sprigs. Add a few Bay leaves, cover the dried beans with water. Let them soak overnight or boil them for a couple of minutes, turn the heat off, and let them sit in the warm water for a couple of hours.
  • Step 2: Once the beans are soaked and softish, drain in a colander, and discard the Rosemary, Thyme, and Bay leaves. It's ok if you don't get all the leaves but do try and discard the woody stems.
  • Step 3: Place the beans back into the big pot, add the cut up onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Add the seasonings and pour the 6 cups of broth over all the bean ingredients. Cook on medium-high until it boils then turn down and let all the goodness simmer for about an hour and a half.
  • Step 4: Once done, let them sit for about 10 minutes. After it's rested cut the ham into bite-sized chunks...either with a knife and fork in the pot (should be really easy to break up) or take the ham out and break it apart and add back into the beans.
  • Step 5: Scoop into bowls and serve with yummy corn bread, buttered french bread, or saltine crackers!
  • Note: If the liquid is too thin, take about a cup of beans out and mash up with a fork or back of a spoon. Return mashed up beans to pot...it should make the broth thicker. The longer the beans sit the thicker they get.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal
Keyword beans, cinammon, comfort food, cornbread, ham, herbs
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