I often fall victim to wanting to be a foodie. I love to pore through stacks of recipes, experiment with different spices, and scavenge for unique foods. I love to be crazy about new things, but the things I already know make me feel the most at ease.
What a humble dish! Ham and beans came about because people had to make something out of… not much. Simple beans and a leftover ham bone (also known as ham hock) create a flavorful meal that’s hearty. As a child, Mom would often make ham and beans on cold winter days. The smell of the ham and beans would fill the house. It’s great when a meal makes you feel like you’re getting a hug, and these beans do just that.
The best ham and beans recipe is parred down and never over-complicated. There’s no reason to try to reinvent a wheel that’s already so delicious. The most important rule is you must start with dried beans . Canned beans are very useful and can be used in many dishes where the beans aren’t the main idea. This dish is all about the beans, both in the flavor and the texture. If the dried beans are freshly dried, soaking is not always important. Since it’s hard to know, I always start by soaking the beans, just in case!.
Much like a soup, ham and beans starts with a base of onion, carrot, and celery. The underlying vegetal flavor actually elevates the beans.
To flavor the beans, a ham bone with plenty of meat still attached is ideal. I don’t make large bone-in hams often, so thankfully it’s easy to find ham bones in many supermarkets.
The foodie in me can’t help but add a bit more umami flavor. And that comes in the form of a Parmesan rind, which you can find at most grocery stores or cheese counters. It gives the beans a rich flavor that rounds them out.
What’s left in the bottom of each dish needs to be soaked up because this is almost soup. And that’s where cornbread comes in! At our house, this meal is always served with cornbread, which is the right thing to do. The texture and ability to finish the hearty meal make this the best comfort food around!.
As a frugal home cook who loves infusing dishes with intense, meaty flavors, ham bones are one of my favorite kitchen treasures I never discard the bone after carving a holiday ham or picking up a ham steak from the store. That ham bone is brimming with the potential for adding rich, smoky flavor to dried beans, greens, soups and more
Cooking white beans with a ham bone is one of my all-time favorite ways to transform an ordinary pot of beans into a mouthwatering, soul-warming meal. The ham bone imparts a lovely smokiness, saltiness and richness to white beans or other dried beans that perfectly enhances their creamy texture.
Read on for my tips, tricks and techniques for making the most of cooking white beans with a ham bone. Whether using a slow cooker or stove, you’ll learn how to coax maximum ham flavor into those beans.
Benefits of Cooking Beans with a Ham Bone
Before we get into the how-to, let’s look at why cooking with a ham bone takes your bean dish from bland to grand:
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Rich smoky flavor – The smokiness from the ham infuses the beans with savory depth and complexity.
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Meaty texture – Bits of tasty ham meat cling to the bone, adding nuggets of chewiness.
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Natural saltiness – The saltiness of the cured ham provides seasoning so you don’t need much added salt.
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Collagen-rich broth – Simmering the bone releases gelatin, body and mouthfeel
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Cost-effective – You transform an often discarded leftover into an incredible ingredient.
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Added nutrition – The bone imparts calcium, protein and other nutrients to the beans.
With all these benefits, it’s a no brainer to put that ham bone to use! Now let’s get into the details for making it shine.
Selecting Beans for Cooking with Ham
Many types of dried beans pair wonderfully with ham bones. Some top choices include:
- Great northern beans
- Cannellini beans
- Navy beans
- Baby lima beans
- Pinto beans
- Black beans
I prefer smaller beans since they tend to absorb more of the ham flavor. Larger beans like chickpeas and kidney beans work too but may need added ham to permeate the inner bean.
Whichever bean you select, make sure to soak the beans overnight or at least 8 hours before cooking. This reduces the cooking time and helps the beans absorb flavors. Quick-soak methods don’t allow the beans to soften fully.
Choosing a Ham Bone
For intensely flavored beans, you want the meatiest, smokiest ham bone possible. Here are some options:
- Fresh ham bone from your holiday ham
- Smoked ham hocks or ham knuckle
- Cured ham bones from a butcher shop or specialty market
- Bones from spiral-cut ham, Black Forest ham, etc. purchased from the deli
Leftover bones from half-spiral hams or ham steaks contain less meat but still provide smoky flavor. Prioritize marrow-rich leg bones for maximum collagen.
Calculate around 1 pound of ham bone per 1 pound (2 cups) of dried beans. Smaller bones may require 1.5 to 2 pounds of beans.
Seasoning the Beans and Broth
Beyond the ham, resist the urge to overload the beans with other ingredients. The beauty lies in their pure, straightforward ham flavor.
However, a few supporting players enhance the starring ham bone:
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Aromatics – Onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves boost the broth.
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Acid – A splash of vinegar or lemon brightens the pot.
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Herbs and spices – Try thyme, sage, mustard powder, coriander or black pepper.
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Salt – Only add a pinch, allowing the ham to provide salinity.
Bean and Ham Bone Cooking Methods
Now let’s get down to the business of unlocking all that glorious ham essence into your beans. Both stove and slow cooker methods work wonderfully.
Stovetop
This approach involves simmering the beans and ham bone in a broth. It takes more hands-on time but extracts the most ham flavor.
Instructions:
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Soak beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse beans.
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Place ham bone, beans, aromatics and 6 cups water or broth in a soup pot. Add any herbs or spices.
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Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 2-3 hours until beans are tender, adding more liquid if needed.
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Remove ham bone. Pull off any meat, dice and return to pot.
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Mash some beans against the pot to thicken broth. Adjust seasoning.
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Simmer 30 minutes more for thick, creamy beans infused with ham goodness.
Pro tips:
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Simmer the ham bone in water first for 1-2 hours to extract maximum flavor before adding beans.
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Cut the bone to expose the marrow and collagen.
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Add a smoked ham hock for even more smoky flavor.
Slow Cooker
The slow cooker approach requires little hands-on time. The beans soak up the ham flavor over a long cooking time.
Instructions:
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Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse.
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Place beans, ham bone, aromatics and 6-8 cups liquid in a slow cooker. Add herbs and spices.
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Cook on low for 8-12 hours until beans reach desired tenderness.
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Remove ham bone and any meat. Mash some beans against the pot to thicken.
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Stir in ham bits. Cook on high 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Pro tips:
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Brown any ham meat or aromatics in a skillet first for deeper flavor.
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For a thicker broth, remove some beans and mash before returning to the slow cooker.
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Add more ham hocks or smoked turkey parts to ratchet up smokiness.
Serving Your Ham Bone Beans
Now that you’ve unlocked all that incredible ham essence, you’ll want to showcase those beans in the best light:
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Keep it simple – The beans and ham are the stars. No need to dilute with lots of mix-ins.
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Highlight smokiness – Embrace smoke and salt with charred greens, bacon, smoked sausage or pork.
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Provide contrast – Balance the richness with vinegar-based slaws, bright citrus and fresh herbs.
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Consider carbs – Serving over rice, grits or cornbread soaks up the luscious broth.
Some of my favorite ways to serve ham bone beans include:
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Plain in a bowl with hot sauce or vinegar
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Over rice with collards and hot sauce
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With cornbread and mustard greens
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On toasted bread for open-faced ham and bean sandwiches
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With mixed greens, bacon, tomatoes and ranch dressing
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With sautéed kale and red onion
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With BBQ pulled pork and coleslaw
However you serve them up, beans simmered for hours with a ham bone are guaranteed to be a new family favorite. The possibilities are endless for enjoying this rich, comforting and budget-friendly dish. Just be prepared for eager requests for ham bone beans to make a repeat appearance on your dinner table!
What’s your favorite way to savor the smoky goodness of beans cooked with a ham bone? Share your tips and favorite flavor combinations in the comments!
Watch how to make this ham and beans recipe
Homestyle Ham and Beans
- 1 pound of dried navy or white beans, which is about 2 cups
- ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
- ▢ 1 ½ cups roughly diced carrot
- ▢ 1 cup diced celery
- ▢ ¾ cup diced onion
- ▢ 2 tsp salt
- ▢ 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 ham bone/hock
- ▢ 1 4- to 6-inch Parmesan rind
- ▢ 6 cups chicken stock
- Cover dried beans with water and soak for 6-8 hours. Once soaked, drain beans and set aside. 1 lb dried white or navy beans (about 2 cups).
- Warm the olive oil in a 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the carrot, celery, and onion with salt and pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes. 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 and a half cups of diced carrot, 1 cup of diced celery, ¾ cup of diced onion, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Add soaked beans, ham bone, Parmesan rind, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, 2-4 hours. 1 ham bone or hock, 1 Parmesan rind (4 to 6 inches), 6 cups chicken stock
- Take out the Parmesan rind and ham bone once the beans are soft. In order for the liquid to keep getting thicker, let the beans sit for 20 minutes. Take the ham bone’s meat off and add it back to the beans. Alternatively, more ham can be added. Adjust beans for salt to taste and serve with cornbread.
Ham Bone Beans Recipe
FAQ
What kind of soup can be made from a ham bone?
How to cook beans step by step?
How to cook white beans without soaking?
How do you thicken white beans and ham?
How do you cook white beans from a ham bone?
Somewhere between a soup and stew, all thick and creamy and soothing, this full bodied and flavorful pot of white beans is all due to the ham bone. Soak beans overnight to speed the cooking process. Place ham bone in a large stockpot, along with the remaining stock ingredients, cover with water plus another 2 inches.
What is the best way to eat beans?
The best way to eat beans is to first cook them in a large pot of water, about 4 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Adding lemon grass or other herbs to the water can improve the flavor. Once beans are cooked the best thing to do is combine them with cooked rice, this is because beans are low in methionine and rice is low in lysine, so combining them makes a more complete protein.
Can you eat ham bone & white bean soup?
But, the slicers can’t go all the way to the end of the bone, so you’ll have some meat left on the bone. Mostly, this meat is not the best part of the ham anyway, it has connective tissue running through it. But it still has a delicious flavor that you can release with my Ham Bone and White Bean Soup Recipe.
How to make Ham & white bean soup?
Follow these simple instructions and you’ll have a big pot of ham and white bean soup ready in no time. Here’s what you need to know: In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. If you’re including any other optional vegetables, add them now.