Ham and Beans made oh-so easy in your slow cooker. Creamy Great Northern Beans, smoky salty chunks of ham, sweet corn bread and you’ve got a winning comfort food combination. Crock Pot Ham and Beans, a delicious recipe for using that holiday ham bone.
Classic Ham with Beans, a meal that my mom served a lot when I was growing up. It wasn’t something that just appeared after Christmas to use up that holiday ham bone. She made it often, made it year round, and used ham hocks or chopped ham.
It wasn’t always accompanied with corn bread, but as with every single meal she served, you can rest assured there was bread on the table. “Eat your bread, you have to support the Wheat Farmers,” she’d order. Which is exactly how our family made its living.
And if you’ve been toying with the idea of making homemade cornbread, take a look at my recipe for Moist Cornbread. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site.
This is an absolutely perfect way to use that left over ham bone from your holiday ham. All you need is a bag of dried Great Northern Beans and enlist your crockpot for this comfort food meal of Slow Cooker Ham and Beans. Let’s get started.
On Soaking Dried Beans Overnight
You don’t have to soak dried beans overnight. But here’s the benefit of doing so. Soaking dried beans overnight will simply reduce the time it takes them to cook them to a tender state. Soaking beans overnight will also improve their texture.
If you forgot to soak your dried beans the night before, never fear, you can always use the heat soaking method. Bring them to a boil stove-top and cook for two minutes. Turn off the heat, let them soak for two hours and then start the cooking process.
And I must report, that I’ve even added rinsed and sorted dried beans directly to my crockpot and cooked them on low until tender. No soaking at all. It works fine because you’re using a slow cooking method to gently bring those beans into tender goodness. A scoop of lard always adds to their silky texture.
Should I Drain The Dried Beans Soaking Water?
Yes and No. And sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I’ve read several theories about this. The science behind draining the soaking water and adding new liquid dictates that you’re removing some of the sugar components that cause gassiness.
On the other hand cooking the beans in the same water they soaked, can also create a thicker broth.
If I’m wanting to cook beans in chicken broth I drain the soaking water and then add the broth to cook. If you want to soak the beans in chicken broth, you’ll need to place the container in the refrigerator overnight. I usually don’t have that sort of room in the fridge.
Tip: When cooking beans, don’t add anything acidic during the cooking process. Tomatoes or tomato juice is a good example. Acidic foods may keep the beans from reaching that soft stage.
Here’s how I make and How my Mom made Crock Pot Ham and Beans:
- 1 pound dried Great Northern White Beans, sorted for misfits and rinsed.
- For the 2-2-2 Hot Water Soaking Method. In a sauce pan on the stove, cover beans with water. Water should be 2 inches above the bean level. Bring to a rolling boil and cook them 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the beans stand in the water 2 hours before cooking.
- Or, you can soak the beans overnight. Just place the beans in your crock pot. Cover with enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. The next morning, drain and add 6 cups of water or chicken broth. Then proceed with cooking.
- Add one meaty ham hock and 2 tablespoons of my Spice Mix for Bean Soup. Add sauteed diced carrots, celery and onions.
- Let cook 6-7 hours on low, checking every couple of hours to see if more water is needed. Cooking time will determine if beans have been soaked overnight or not. Beans soaked overnight will take less time to cook.
- Remove ham hock and when it’s cool enough to handle, shred meat and return it to the crock of beans.
- Season with salt.
Recipe for Crock Pot Ham and Beans
I think serving ham and beans with cornbread should be a law. 🙂 A spoon filled with a chunk of that sweet cornbread and a scoop of beans, is a wonderful flavor combination. And a sprinkle of raw onions on top of the finished soup is a nice addition.
I hope you give this recipe for Ham and Bean soup a try and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite soup recipe using dried beans, please let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Dried Beans Soup Recipes
- Lemony Potato Soup with Myacoba Beans
- Bolita Beef and Bean Soup
- Great Northern White Bean Soup with Bacon
And if you’re a soup fanatic like we are here on the ranch, you won’t want to miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of delicious soup recipes. Including the most popular on my site, Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Beef Chili Recipe.
Ham and Beans made oh-so easy in your slow cooker. Creamy Great Northern Beans, smoky salty chunks of ham, sweet and spicy corn bread and you've got a winning comfort food combination.
- 1 pound Great Northern White Beans sorted for misfits and rinsed
- 6 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 meaty Ham hock or a leftover ham bone
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup sweet onion diced
- corn bread for serving
Rinse beans and sort for misfits.
In a sauce pan on the stove, cover beans with chicken broth or water and bring to a rolling boil.
Or, you can soak the beans overnight. Just place the beans in your crock pot. Cover with enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. The next morning, drain and add 6 cups of water or chicken broth. Then proceed with cooking.
Add 2 tablespoons of my soup seasoning mix. 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup diced carrot. Please note, sauteeing the carrot and celery before placing in the crockpot will bring more flavor to the soup. I also keep a jar of dried vegetable mix that I buy at Whole Foods. It's handy to use. Add 1/4 cup if using.
Add one meaty ham hock or a left over ham bone.
Let cook on low fpr 6 – 7 hours on low, checking to see if more water is needed
- Remove ham hock and when it’s cool enough to handle, shred meat and return it to the crock of beans
Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place a square of cornbread in a soup bowl. Ladle a couple of scoops of ham and beans beside the corn bread and sprinkle with chopped raw onion.
Crock Pot Ham and Beans …It’s what’s for Dinner.
Larry says
January 28, 2012 at 5:06 pmYou must like yours a lot drier than me, was my first thought when I saw your pic. You don’t have to be a baker to make cornbread from scratch as it’s nearly as simple as the mix. Thanks for the kind words.
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:57 amWell, I was just snapping away when I noticed how dry they were. Trust me, they were “souped up”. As far as “scratch” goes, Larry you have to remember, I’m the one that ruined the Rhoades frozen rolls at Thanksgiving. :/
pam says
January 28, 2012 at 7:08 pmham and beans is a huge favorite of mine!
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:55 amI don’t know why I don’t make it more often.
Karen Harris says
January 28, 2012 at 9:00 pmOh you are a cook after my own heart. This is definitely food for the soul. Personally, I prefer my beans the next day after cooking. This looks just perfect to me. By the way, love that spoon.
So glad you enjoyed The Help. You made me want to go and watch it again.
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:55 amI’ve got several mismatched pieces of silver. When I saw Toni using them, I said to myself…”why aren’t you using them?” 🙂 Karen, I’m going to watch it again this morning before it gets sent back to Netflix. Just a fabulous movie, and there better be some academy awards given out for that one.
Cooking with Michele says
January 28, 2012 at 9:45 pmI’ve got a ham hock in the freezer – definitely making this when I’m back from my trip!
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:53 amThat ham hock definitely wants to be made into this when you get back from your trip! 🙂 Have a great time Michele.
Kirsten@My German Kitchen...in the Rockies says
January 28, 2012 at 10:46 pmOh, that is a dish for my husband’s taste buds! I wish the beans would agree with me a little better. I really like them.
Okay, next get together will be at my house and we will be baking corn bread from scratch, agreed? 🙂
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:51 amYou’ve got a deal! Too funny. I knew you’d cringe! 🙂
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
January 29, 2012 at 4:29 amA fine southern dinner served at homes around the south when I was growing up. So glad you didn’t put a lot of sugar in the cornbread.
Sam
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:50 amI’m surprised that I didn’t put sugar in that cornbread. 🙂 I’ve tried putting honey in it before and I just wasn’t impressed. I think I was trying to recreate Marie Calendars version.
Vickie says
January 29, 2012 at 5:45 amMMM ham and beans take me back to childhood, too. Love that your mother was an advocate for the wheat farmers! I eat my cornbread separately, but will try some in the beans if you say it’s better that way. Dana sure thinks so. Also going to add jalapenos to my cornbread next time – that sounds right up my alley. And I, too, love that spoon. I collect mismatched silver and like the way it photographs.
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 7:49 amWell, I really liked the corn bread covered in those beans. You should try it. I ate mine so fast that the corn bread never got soggy. 🙂 i have several mis-matched pieces of silver. There’s only one fork server that I take the time to polish. I always look for them in antique stores.
Susan says
January 29, 2012 at 9:10 amI guess I’m really a separatist! I’ve never made ham and beans together nor bathed corn bread in either but this sounds so good I’d love to try.
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 4:02 pmLike I said, my corn bread will never teeter again. 🙂
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
January 29, 2012 at 10:19 amThis comment is meant purely to make you feel better. You think me a baker right? I wish I could attach a photo with this comment. A photo of the Jiffy Corn Bread in my pantry. Boxes of it. So they’ve combined the dry ingredients for us; I have no problem with that convenience! I will make my own cornbread from scratch for Thanksgiving but for a quick meal…well I just spilled the beans didn’t I? Which is somehow very appropriate for this post! By the way…I use Bisquick too. 🙂
My big, huge, amazing find just recently was discovering that Honey Baked Hams sells ham bones. I love using the bone for soups more than I love having a whole ham so this really was huge. Karen recently made White Beans with Ham that I coveted, wished HBH sold bones with meat on them, decided to give them a call…and was delighted to discover they do. So that makes three of us on this bent…and a happy one it was. You make me want to do it again. Like today!
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 4:01 pmBarb, I recently just found out about HBH also. I was going to mention it in the post and forgot. Yes, great news. And so glad to hear you’ve got that stash of Jiffy. Every time I’m in your pantry, it’s to fetch Abby a treat. Not paying much attention to hidden secrets! 🙂
Chris says
January 29, 2012 at 2:08 pmBwahahaha. Guess who has a pack of pork neck bones in his fridge for smoking tomorrow? Guess what he’s going to do with them. You got it!
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 3:58 pmGuess who wishes you were their next door neighbor! 🙂
Stephanie@PlainChicken.com says
January 29, 2012 at 4:08 pmLooks so good! I am going to have to make this again soon.
Lea Ann says
January 29, 2012 at 4:20 pmSuch good news about Honey Baked Ham and those bones. I’ll be making it soon again also. Wish my photo would have been as good as yours.
Rhonda says
February 2, 2012 at 12:45 amCan’t go wrong with ham and beans! I sometimes take my photos the next day (better light) and find that it doesn’t always look quite as good as it did the night before, oh well. It’s all about the food and not the photos!