Tulo

Ham and Beans Recipe

A bowl of creamy ham and white bean soup with shredded ham, diced carrots, and cracked black pepper, served with a wedge of cornbread on the side.
Photo by Boryslav Shoot on Pexels

A meaty ham bone or hock simmers for hours with dried beans and aromatics, so the broth slowly picks up smoky, savory flavor and the beans turn creamy without any added thickener.

Prep
20 min
Cook
150 min
Total
170 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 2 cups dried great northern beans
  • 1 bone/hocks meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks (about 1.5 lbs)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery ribs, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 8 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 cups cooked ham, diced (in addition to the bone)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Nutrition per serving

Calories
332
Protein
27g
Carbs
33g
Fat
10g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Place the dried beans in a large bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of cold water, and soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. (For a quick soak, boil the beans in water for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour before draining.)
  2. 2In a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot, combine the soaked beans, ham bone or hocks, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves.
  3. 3Pour in the chicken broth, plus enough additional water to cover everything by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  4. 4Partially cover the pot and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to break down slightly. Add more hot water if the liquid level drops below the beans.
  5. 5Lift out the ham bone or hocks and set aside until cool enough to handle. Pull off any meat, shred or chop it, and discard the bone, skin, and excess fat.
  6. 6Return the shredded ham to the pot along with the additional diced ham. Season with the black pepper and smoked paprika, then simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes to thicken the broth slightly.
  7. 7Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the apple cider vinegar off the heat and taste for salt, ham varies a lot in saltiness so add it gradually.
  8. 8Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with cornbread on the side if desired.

Tips & variations

  • To use a pressure cooker, skip the multi-hour simmer: pressure cook the soaked beans, ham bone, and aromatics on high for 25 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before shredding the meat.
  • A ham bone saved from a holiday baked ham gives a deeper, slightly sweet flavor than a plain smoked hock, since it still carries some of the glaze and browned drippings.
  • Great northern beans hold their shape well, but navy beans or small white beans work as a 1:1 swap and will cook a little faster.
  • If the beans go into the pot unsoaked, plan on 3 to 3.5 hours of simmering and check the water level more often.
  • For a thicker, more stew-like pot, mash about a cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot before adding the ham back in.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate cooled ham and beans in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the beans will keep thickening as they sit, so thin with a splash of broth or water when reheating on the stove over medium-low heat. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Hold off on adding salt until the ham has gone back into the pot and you've tasted the broth, ham releases a lot of salt as it simmers and it's easy to oversalt early on.
  • If the water in your area is very hard, the minerals can slow down how quickly beans soften; using filtered water for the soak and simmer can shave real time off the cook.

FAQ

Do I have to soak the beans first?

No, but skipping the soak adds roughly an hour to the simmer time and makes the beans cook less evenly. A quick soak (boil 2 minutes, then rest covered for 1 hour) works almost as well as an overnight soak if time is short.

Can I make ham and beans in a slow cooker?

Yes. Combine the soaked, drained beans with the ham bone, vegetables, and broth in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the beans are tender.

Why are my beans still hard after hours of simmering?

The most common causes are old, dried-out beans (buy from a store with good turnover), very hard tap water, or adding an acidic ingredient like vinegar or tomatoes too early, which slows softening. Always add acid at the end of cooking.

What's the difference between using a ham bone and ham hocks?

A ham bone (left over from a baked or spiral-cut ham) usually carries more meat and a rounder, slightly sweeter flavor, while smoked ham hocks are mostly skin, fat, and connective tissue and give a stronger smoky flavor with less usable meat, which is why extra diced ham is often added separately.

More recipes