Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- ham (ham steak, ham hock, or bacon)
- 1 medium-sized onion, diced
- 1/2 TBSP garlic (or to taste)
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Soak beans in a large bowl of water over night*. Make sure to put enough water so that it is 3-4 inches above the leveled of beans. They absorb a lot of water!
2. Drain beans and place in a large stock pot with water about two inches above the beans. Cut ham into cubes or chunks and add to pot, along with the diced onion. Simmer on low for about 2-3 hours or until the beans are fork tender.
3. Add garlic, salt, and pepper.
4. Serve with cornbread
*An alternative preparation method: rinse the beans well under cool, running water, then add them to your crock pot with 6 to 7 cups of water and the diced onion. Turn on 'high' and let cook for around 4 hours. Add the cooked, diced and trimmed ham and resume cooking for around 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add salt and pepper as desired.