Southern Ham And Brown Beans Food

SOUTHERN HAM AND BROWN BEANS

Steps:

• Place the beans and water in a large stockpot. Add the ham hock, onion and garlic. Season with chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for one hour.
• Return the pot to the heat, and bring to a boil once again. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for at least 3 hours to blend flavors. The longer you simmer, the thicker the broth will become. I like to cook mine for about 6 hours.
• Remove the ham hock from the broth, and let cool. Remove the meat from the bone, and return the meat to the stockpot, discarding the bone. Adjust seasonings to taste.

SOUTHERN STYLE BEANS WITH HAM

Steps:

• PLACE beans in in a large soup pot with an accompanying lid; COVER beans with 2 inches cold water; BRING to a boil (uncovered); BOIL 2 minutes.
• DRAIN beans; RINSE well with running cold water.
• RETURN beans to pot; COVER beans with cold water again; BRING to boiling again for 2 minutes uncovered; DRAIN in colander; RINSE well with running cold water; ALLOW beans to drain until needed.
• IN the same large heavy pot over medium heat, add the bacon fat until sizzling; ADD ham shanks and cook, turning, until evenly seared, about 7 minutes; REMOVE shanks with tongs; SET aside.
• ADD onions; COOK, stirring, for 5 minutes; ADD garlic and drained beans; COOK for just one minute, stirring.
• POUR in 7 cups cold water; STIR in the remaining seasonings except the pickled pepper brine.
• BRING mixture to full boiling for 2 minutes.
• REDUCE heat to medium-low (at approximately the "2 1/2" - "2 3/4" numeric stovetop heat setting); SIMMER beans uncovered for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• AFTER 1 1/2 hours check beans (beans should be creamy and the meat should easily fall off of the bones (if desired, continue cooking and stirring uncovered, to desired consistency); CLEAN meat from bone portion of meat (discard bones); SEASON with pickled pepper brine; STIR well and cook 5 additional minutes; RE-SEASON with salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
• SERVE and enjoy!

SOUTHERN PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse beans. Place beans in pot and cover them three times higher with water. Bring to a rapid boil for five minutes covered. Turn off stove. DO NOT REMOVE LID.
• Let the pot set one hour.
• Turn burner back on to slightly more than a simmer. Add ham bone, onion, and pepper.
• Boil covered for two hours. Add more water if necessary.
• Remove ham bone. Remove all ham and place back into pot. Discard bone.
• Turn down heat to simmer and add approximately 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or more. Now let beans cook as long as needed.
• Season to taste.
• I serve with Baby's Jalapeño Cornbread, Recipe #221836.