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Ham and Beans

You are going to love this flavorful ham and beans dish with the perfect blend of spices, onions, celery and carrots,
Course dinner, main meal pork
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword ham and beans recipe, how to make ham and beans recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Soaking Time 8 hours
Servings 8 servings
Calories 352kcal
Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried Great Northern Beans or dried pinto beans
  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb bone in ham steak diced don't forget to throw in the bone
  • 4-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Rinse the beans and sort through them, removing any pebbles. Add the beans to a large pot, cover them with cold water, and soak them overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans in a colander in the sink and rinse.
  • Dry the pot. Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, cooking and stirring frequently until the carrots and celery are tender.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, dried marjoram, dried basil, dried thyme, ground cumin, and ground cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  • Add the diced ham, ham bone, and drained beans to the pot. Add enough chicken broth to cover the mixture. Stir in the brown sugar and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the beans are tender.
  • Fish out the bay leaf and ham bone. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

  • For this recipe, it is best to soak the beans overnight.
  • Easy on the added salt for this recipe. Ham is cured with salt, and even low-sodium chicken broth has a fair amount of salt.
  • Don't forget to throw in the ham bone. It adds a lot of flavor. Remove It before serving.
  • Bay leaves are sharp, and they can pose a choking hazard. Ensure you fish them out of the pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 1214mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4588IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 4mg