One Pot Ham and Beans
A delicious ham and beans recipe that’s as simple as the name implies. Pinto beans simmered in a flavorful broth to create a dish that everyone will love!
Who’s ready for a simple and tasty recipe? I know I am and given that there’s fresh snow on the ground, I want something warm too.
What better day than to share our one pot ham and beans? The earthy, salty flavor of this dish is perfect for a cold, snowy day.
Best of all, it doesn’t take much effort to put this one together. Now, it does take about two (2) to three (3) hours from start to finish.
With that being said, the ham and beans pretty much cook themselves. So, I consider it a good trade off.
Also, a recipe like this is perfect for using up any leftovers from a baked glazed ham! What you could do, while they cook, is prepare a side dish to go with your pinto beans.
I recommend our jalapeno cheddar biscuits or masa harina cornbread, but I’ll leave that decision up to you. How about we get these beans on the stove?
Ham and Beans Instructions:
First and foremost, let’s get the prep work out of the way. Use a colander or strainer to rinse the dry pinto beans and remove any debris or dirt.
Once washed, quickly sort through them to remove any rocks or pebbles. When the beans are prepped go ahead and toss them into a large pot.
Next, dice your onions, garlic, and ham. You can add those to the pot as well.
At this point, start pouring the beef broth and water into your stock pot. The liquid should be more than enough to cover the ham and beans.
But, you’ll still want to have some extra broth (or water) on hand.
Because, as the beans cook, they’ll absorb the water in the pot. If all the liquid gets soaked up, the beans will definitely burn.
Getting back to the recipe, once you’ve added the broth and stock, sprinkle in the pepper. The sea salt is optional, so if you’re worried about, “over salting,” leave it out.
Give the beans a quick stir and cook them over medium heat. They should only need about two (2) to three (3) hours, depending on whether you use an electric or gas stove.
Keep an eye them as they cook and add more liquid when the water level starts to drop below the pintos.
After about two (2) hours, try one bean and see if it’s soft. If not, let the ham and beans cook longer.
However, if they’re ready, remove them from the heat and serve them while they’re hot. That’s it, you’re all done! In regards to sides, as I stated above, biscuits are a great option.
But, if you prefer a more traditional pairing, consider trying our cornbread. We have both an oven version and a pressure cooker cornbread.
Ham and Beans Tips:
Here’s a question I thought I’d never hear in my life, “How do you make beans less gassy?” But, according to Google, this is a popular inquiry.
Based on what I could find, the best way to make beans less gassy is to soak them overnight. Allegedly, soaking will remove the, “indigestible sugars,” that cause gas.
However, I cannot attest to whether or not this works. The next popular question is, “How do you thicken ham and beans?”
You have a couple options for thickening agents. A corn starch slurry (corn starch and water combined) can be stirred into the dish just before turning off the heat.
On the other hand, you can whisk flour into some beef stock and add that to the pot at the end of the cooking process. Similar to using the corn starch slurry.
The last tip I can offer, is to simply keep an eye on the beans as they cook. Otherwise, they will soak up all the liquid, burn, and stick. Other than that, it’s a pretty simple, “hands off,” recipe.
If you enjoyed our one pot ham and beans, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 pound pinto beans, washed and sorted
- 4 cups water, plus more if needed
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, or chicken broth
- 1 cup white onion, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ pounds ham, diced; we used ham steak
- 1 teaspoon salt, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- First, wash and sort the beans. Sorting refers to checking for and removing any small pebbles or rocks.1 pound pinto beans
- Next, in a large pot, combine the beans, water, broth, onions, garlic, ham, salt (optional), and pepper. Stir to mix everything together.4 cups water3 cups low-sodium beef broth1 cup white onion5 garlic cloves1 ½ pounds ham1 teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Then, cook the ham and beans over medium heat for two (2) to three (3) hours. Check them every twenty (20) to thirty (30) minutes, stirring, and adding more water or broth as needed.
- Last, once the beans are soft, turn off the heat and serve them with your favorite sides; like biscuits or cornbread.