Special Interests > Down Home Cooking

Ham & Beans

(1/10) > >>

Seemjis mom:
So I bought some ham and some beans, only question is....how do I make it?
 
I'm use to making box dinners, LOL....Still kinda new to cooking.  All I know is I'm suppose to soak the beans, right? 
 
How do you make your ham and beans?

Eden:
I put half a bag of beans in the crockpot with lots of water, turn it on low and let it cook all day. I put a ham hock in mine - just put it in when it's cooking. If you don't have the hock, just put a big piece of ham in it.

igahmah at work:
I don't soak my beans I do wash them many times and pick out the bad ones.  I put them in a pot, cover them with water, add a ham hock, and cut up an onion and throw that in there.  Turn it on to boiling then turn it down to simmer and just let it cook.  I let mine cook for a looooooong time because I like the thick broth that you get by doing that.  You have to check them and stir them often.  Add a little water if needed.  DO NOT LET THEM BURN, YOU WILL BE SORRY.  Add salt and pepper to taste after they are done.
 
If you are having beans you have to fix fried potatoes and cornbread too.  What time should we all be there? ;D

Seemjis mom:
Is there any difference in cooking them in a crock or on the stove? 

When you say you let them cook for a long time, how long is exactly a long time?  I never thought about making fried potatoes with them, sounds good.....Yummy.

julymorning:
There's a couple schools of thought about making beans that has to do with the gas problem. ::)
 
To help prevent it, here's one suggestion many follow.
Follow the directions on the package for dry bean to water ratio.  Be sure to use a plenty large enough pot.
Check through the water for floating beans and anything that doesn't look like a bean and discard.
Bring the water and beans to a boil, cover and turn off heat.  Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Drain the water off and rinse.  Apparently the substance that causes gas and indigestion is on the outer part of the bean.
Some think throwing away the water is also throwing out flavor, so it's a toss up.  Beans in themselves don't have all that much flavor anyway.
 
At this point what I do is put a little oil or bacon fat in the bottom of the pot, saute a chopped onion, a few stalks of chopped celery and put the ham in to slightly brown a little too.  That adds a lot of smokey flavor bits when you put the fresh water and beans back in.
 
You can skip the soaking stage.  I don't soak, I just let it cook for at least 12 hours if in a crock pot (on high) or 8 hours on the stove.
If you want to toss the water, bring the beans to a boil, then rinse off the water and proceed with the previous steps.
I always forget to rinse the soak water off so instead I add about a tbls. of vinegar (any kind) to the pot of beans.  That seems to help on the gas thing and you can't taste the vinegar.
 
Big question at this point, did you buy a pre-cooked ham or fresh one?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page