Southern Style Beans With Ham Food

SOUTHERN-STYLE WHITE BEANS AND HAM

Steps:

• Place the dried Northern beans in a colander, rinse the beans off thoroughly sorting through to remove any debris or broken beans at this time.
• Place the Northern beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover as well as come about 2-3 inches above the beans. Place a tight-fitting lid over the pot and let sit overnight or for at least 8 hours before you begin cooking them.
• Drain off the water that the Northern beans have soaked in and placed them back in the pot they have soaked in. Add 6-8 cups of vegetable stock to the Northern beans to cover the beans and come about 2-3 inches above them. If the beans become too thick during the process, add more stock to the pot
• Next, add the chopped Ham steak, diced yellow onions, diced jalapeño peppers, diced celery, and minced garlic to the pot of Northern beans. Place on medium heat and let pot come to a simmer, reduce heat if need be and cook on a low simmer for about 2 hours or 2.5 hours if you prefer a softer bean.
• The last half of an hour is when you will add your seasoning to the pot, at this time add 2 teaspoons of low-sodium Cajun seasoning or regular, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Cook on low for the last 30 minutes.
• Serve over white rice with sliced green onions, sliced jalapeño, and Tabasco sauce if desired.

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 STYLE WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Place beans in a large pot. Fill water to four inches over the beans.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat on top of stove.
• Add ham hock or bone, salt and pepper.
• Reduce and simmer covered for three hours or until beans are soft.
• Add water as needed to keep beans covered.
• I have always eaten these beans cooked extra-soft but you may keep them a little firmer!