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Simple, hearty, and flavorful, ham and beans is a traditional meal that’s been enjoyed throughout the south and Appalachia for generations. The smoky Great Northern beans are delicious alongside a skillet of cornbread, a pot of greens, or a crisp salad.
Table of Contents
Hearty and humble, ham and beans with cornbread has been a staple dish in Appalachia and throughout the south and southwest for generations. Great Northern beans seasoned with a ham hock, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs simmer in a pot of broth until tender and thick. You can make them in the slow cooker, too!
Serve the beans spooned over a slice of cast iron cornbread, or offer the cornbread on the side to soak up any extra pot likker. It’s a simple, flavorful, and affordable meal to add to your supper table during the cold weather months. Classic comfort food!
Origin
Ham and beans (also called soup beans in the Southern United States and Appalachia) describes a pot of beans that slowly simmers on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot with pork, which is served on top of or alongside cornbread. The end result is a creamy soup-like dish (without any actual cream), which has a smoky flavor from the ham.
The early Appalachian settlers of the 18th century, who were often new Scotch-Irish, German, and Swedish immigrants, were pushed westward into the mountains to find land and resources. The original homesteaders lived a fairly isolated, rugged lifestyle, becoming self-sufficient and growing almost all of their own food. These settlers learned mountain survival skills and farming techniques for crops like squash, corn, and beans from the Cherokee Native Americans. When food was scarce in the winter, dried beans became a staple in the Appalachian diet.
Since many parts of the Southern Appalachian Mountains are rocky and difficult terrain for raising cows and sheep, hogs are the primary source of meat. An entire hog is put to use for flavoring foods, such as these old fashioned ham and beans.
Do you have to soak beans for ham and beans?
Soaking the dried beans overnight is not absolutely necessary — but it’s highly recommended. Soaking the beans reduces the required cooking time significantly. The texture of the cooked beans is also best after soaking, with fewer that split open and burst.
How to Quick Soak Beans
If you don’t have time to soak the beans in advance, you can rinse them, place them in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the beans, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and then let the beans soak in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain the beans in a colander, rinse them under cold water, and proceed with the recipe.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best ham and beans recipe ever. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Dried Great Northern beans: don’t forget to soak them overnight before using in this recipe, or see my notes above regarding quick soaking.
- Cold water: for soaking the beans and for a cooking liquid.
- Olive oil: to sauté the veggies.
- Onion, celery, and garlic: aromatics that add flavor to the dish. Green pepper would also be great!
- Chicken broth: use homemade broth if you have it, or choose a low-sodium variety from the store.
- Smoked ham hock: provides a rich, salty, smoky flavor. Each ham hock is typically about 10-12 ounces, but there’s leeway here — it doesn’t have to be exact.
- Dried bay leaf: gives the pot an earthy, slow-cooked flavor.
- Fresh thyme: I prefer fresh herbs, but you can substitute with about ½ teaspoon of dried thyme in a pinch.
- Ham: for more meaty flavor in the pot of beans. Use leftover ham from a previous meal (such as Easter or Christmas), purchase diced or cubed ham in the meat section at the grocery store, or buy a ham steak that you dice at home.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish. Don’t add the salt until later in the cooking process, since salting the beans too early will cause them to take longer to soften.
Are Great Northern beans the same as navy beans?
While these two types of beans are similar, they are not the same. Great Northern beans are medium-sized beans — larger than navy beans, but smaller than cannellini beans. Great Northerns are known for their mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh. Often used in soups and stews, these beans hold their shape better than navy beans, and they absorb the rich, smoky flavors of the other ingredients in the pot.
How to Make Ham and Beans
You can prepare old fashioned ham and beans in a Dutch oven on the stove top, as shown here, or in a slow cooker. I’ve included the instructions for both options in the recipe box below, but here’s the quick version:
- Soak the beans overnight.
- Saute the veggies in a large Dutch oven.
- Add the beans, ham hock, broth, water, and herbs to the pot.
- Simmer until the beans are tender, stirring the diced ham into the pot during the final 30 minutes or so.
- Mash some of the beans to thicken the broth.
- Serve!
How to Thicken
There are a few of ways to thicken the beans. First, simmer with the lid partially off, or remove it entirely. This will allow more of the liquid to evaporate, thickening the broth. You can also mash some of the beans with the back of a spoon or puree a portion of the beans with an immersion blender. The mashed beans and veggies will thicken the broth nicely!
Finally, if you have time, prepare the beans in advance. They just gets better as they sit and the flavors come together. The liquid will also thicken as it cools.
What to Eat with Southern Ham and Beans
Ham and beans are typically served with cornbread, and might be garnished with any of the following toppings:
- Pickled chow chow
- Ramps, green onion, or chopped raw onion
- Chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley or thyme
- Hot sauce
- Cider vinegar
- A dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced jalapenos for a southwestern touch
On the side, don’t forget the cornbread or biscuits to soak up that pot likker! You can find our favorite cornbread and corn muffin recipes in this post, and our favorite Southern biscuit recipes here.
Preparation and Storage
- Store the ham and beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s a great make-ahead option for busy weeks, and even tastes better the next day!
- How to Freeze: this is a great freezer meal, so prepare a big pot and stick any leftovers in the freezer for a quick-prep lunch or dinner option. Allow the ham and beans to cool to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container or large Ziploc freezer bag, they will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Place the ham and beans in a pot and warm over a low flame, just until heated through. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1-2 minutes. Add extra broth or water, as necessary, to thin to the desired consistency.
Ham Hock and Beans Recipe Variations
- Slow Cooker Ham and Beans: after soaking the beans, place all of the ingredients in a Crock Pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the beans are tender. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and add the diced ham during the final 1-2 hours of cooking time.
- Swap out the Great Northern beans and use a different variety of white beans, such as cannellini or navy. Pinto beans will also work!
- Instead of a ham hock, add flavor to the beans with a different smoked meat, such as a leftover ham bone, bacon, smoked sausage, smoked turkey wings, or smoked pork neck bones.
- Vegetarian Beans: omit the ham hock and diced ham. Add smoky flavor to the pot with liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or some cumin. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Make the beans spicy with some crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, or hot sauce.
- Herbs: add more fresh (or dried) herbs to the pot in addition to the thyme, such as parsley, oregano, cilantro, or rosemary.
- Add more vegetables such as green bell pepper, diced carrots, or tomatoes.
Tips for the Best Ham and Beans Recipe
- Stir the pot occasionally while the beans cook. This will help to break them down a bit, distribute the starches, and prevent sticking.
- Smoked ham hocks can be quite salty, so wait to season the pot towards the end when you can give it a taste. Also, salting the beans too early in the cooking process can make them take longer to soften.
- The total amount of water necessary will vary. As a result, check the beans periodically as you stir them and add extra water to cover, if necessary.
- Garnish with fresh herbs (such as chopped parsley or thyme), a dash of hot sauce, pickled chow chow, a dash of vinegar, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright finishing touch.
More Bean Recipes to Try
Appalachian Soup Beans {Pinto Bean Soup}
14 hrs 5 mins
Crock Pot Beans and Cornbread
20 hrs 20 mins
Southern Lima Beans with Ham {Butter Beans}
2 hrs 20 mins
Southern Ham and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried Great Northern beans
- Cold water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 smoked ham hock (about 10-12 ounces)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 fresh thyme sprig (or about ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 8 ounces cooked, diced ham
- Garnish: hot sauce; chow-chow; apple cider vinegar; chopped fresh herbs; chopped onion
- Optional, for serving: cornbread
Instructions
- Place beans in a large bowl or pot. Cover with cold water by 2 inches. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery; cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 30 more seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the beans, broth, ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, and ground black pepper to taste. Do not add salt at this time. Pour in enough cold water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Give everything a good stir.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low so that the liquid is at a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid, allowing some of the steam to escape. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the beans start to look dry, add more water to keep them covered. If there’s more liquid in the pot than you would like, remove the lid completely.
- Stir in about a teaspoon of salt. Add the diced ham. Continue simmering for 30-45 more minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Discard ham hock, bay leaf, and thyme sprig. Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to mash some of the beans, thickening the broth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Ladle into bowls. Garnish with hot sauce, chow chow, a splash of vinegar, herbs, and/or chopped onion. Serve with a side of cornbread.
Notes
-
- Slow Cooker Ham and Beans: after soaking the beans, place all of the ingredients in a Crock Pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the beans are tender. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and add the diced ham during the final 1-2 hours of cooking time.
- Stir the pot occasionally while the beans cook. This will help to break them down a bit, distribute the starches, and prevent sticking.
-
- The total amount of water necessary will vary. As a result, check the beans periodically as you stir them and add extra water to cover, if necessary.
- Smoked ham hocks can be quite salty, so wait to season the pot towards the end when you can give it a taste. Also, salting the beans too early in the cooking process can make them take longer to soften.
- Swap out the Great Northern beans and use a different variety of white beans, such as cannellini or navy. Pinto beans will also work!
-
- Instead of a ham hock, add flavor to the beans with a different smoked meat, such as a leftover ham bone, bacon, smoked sausage, smoked turkey wings, or smoked pork neck bones.
-
- Vegetarian Beans: omit the ham hock and diced ham. Add smoky flavor to the pot with liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or some cumin. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
-
- Make the beans spicy with some crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, or hot sauce.
-
- Herbs: add more fresh (or dried) herbs to the pot in addition to the thyme, such as parsley, oregano, cilantro, or rosemary.
-
- Add more vegetables such as green bell pepper, diced carrots, or tomatoes.
Oh yes, delicious! I know what I’m making for lunch today. The guys at https://windowcleanersvictoria.com should be pleased for some ham and beans, they’ve been working so hard cleaning my windows all morning. They need the proteins! haha
Thank you, Cathy! We hope you all enjoy it.