Crock Pot Ham and Beans

Ham and Beans made oh-so easy in your crock pot. Creamy Great Northern Beans, smoky salty chunks of ham, sweet and spicy corn bread and you've got a winning comfort food combination.

Course Soup, Stews and Chilis

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Servings

Calories 83kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

Crockpot, Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 pound Great Northern White Beans sorted for misfits and rinsed. Or you can use Navy beans
enough water to cover beans by 2 inches
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup carrots diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup sweet onion diced
6 cups chicken broth or water
1 ham shank or ham bone
1 Tablespoon Soup Seasoning Mix or 2 bay leaves and 1 teaspoon dried thyme
corn bread for serving

Instructions

Rinse beans and sort for misfits.
Cover the beans with water. The water level should be 2 inches above the beans. Soak the beans overnight. No need to refrigerate while soaking. The next morning, drain the water.
Heat a fry an over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the celery, onions and carrots. Saute until until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, the cooked vegetables, the ham shank, chicken broth and Soup Seasoning Mix to the crock pot.
Let cook on low for 6 - 7 hours on low or until beans are tender.
Remove ham hock and when it’s cool enough to handle, shred meat and return the meat 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.

Notes

If you forgot to soak dried beans the night before, never fear, you can always use the heat soaking method. Cover the beans with water, the water level should be two inches above the beans. 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.

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. No need to drain the broth and add new broth to cook the beans.

If you don't keep a supply of Soup Seasoning Mix in your pantry, use this simple ham and beans seasoning:

2 sprigs of fresh thyme,
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary,
a bay leaf
and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.

Nutrition