Ham and Beans Recipe

My husband and I loved this recipe with just a few changes. After reading the reviews we cut the sugar in half, but it was still too sweet and too hot for us. So the next day we made another batch and we reduced the sugar to 1 Tbsp. and cut the cayenne in half. I also sauteed the chopped onion and chopped ham in 2 Tbsp of butter to bring out more flavor before adding it to the beans. Both times I precooked the beans after soaking overnight, then put all the ingredients together (including the tip about baking soda, used 1/4 tsp) in a crock pot with just enough boiling water to not quite cover, on high for about 2 hours before dinner. A definite keeper!

My husband and I loved this recipe with just a few changes. After reading the reviews we cut the sugar in half, but it was still too sweet and too hot for us. So the next day we made another batch and we reduced the sugar to 1 Tbsp. and cut the cayenne in half. I also sauteed the chopped onion and chopped ham in 2 Tbsp of butter to bring out more flavor before adding it to the beans. Both times I precooked the beans after soaking overnight, then put all the ingredients together (including the tip about baking soda, used 1/4 tsp) in a crock pot with just enough boiling water to not quite cover, on high for about 2 hours before dinner. A definite keeper!

Great, but added extras. I rendered the fat off a pork loin in a pot seasoned with a mirepoix ( 1 cup chopped sweet onions, carrots, celery). Strained and set aside. SImmered beans in low sodium chicken stock, a cup of brown sugar, and added 3 cups of the rendered liquid. I placed small chunks of the loin in the beans about halfway through the bean simmer and later sliced carrots. Adding the extra sugar made it appealing to those with a sweeter tooth.

First off...I know this is listed under "ham soup", but this is not soup. It is Ham and Beans. This is a Southern thing for many. Serve it with cornbread and this is a classic Southern meal. I am originally from the North, but married a Southerner and have lived in the South for several years. I had to learn the "basics" of Southern cooking from his family and online. This is a basic comfort food. Now to the recipe, I read that some felt this was too sweet. The first time I made it I added just a shy short of 1/2 cup of Brown sugar. We had no leftovers. I made it again tonight with 1/3 cup of sugar to see if there was much difference. We didn't notice much difference in sweetness. The cayenne balances the sweetness. I added a little garlic to it as well. I made it both times in my electric pressure cooker. I'm still trying to perfect the right amount of water and timing for the recipe with the pressure cooker, but this recipe is a keeper for us. (I don't use the amount of water called for since cooking with the pressure cooker is different). The pressure cooker bypasses the need to soak the beans and makes this a fairly quick, easy, simple meal. And it's fairly cheap too. Thanks for the recipe.

Followed some changes suggested by other reviewers. Soaked beans over night, boiled them 90 minutes and put them in crock pot with ham and onion lighted browned in butter. Reduced sugar to 1 T, added 1/2 t of baking soda and decreased cayenne pepper to 1/8 t ( I would have liked it hotter but my hubby doesn't like hot foods) I added a ham hock. covered with enough filtered water to cover and cooked on high for 3 hours then on low for 3 hours. Very good!

I loved it. I used red pepper flakes sparingly. Super tasty. We used a crock pot and soked beans overnight, then out other ingredients in the morning. Go to work, and bam, dinner is ready. Corn bread is also necessary to make this a 10.

An alternative to soaking overnight and a tip to prevent gas: Bring beans to a boil. Toss in a teaspoon of baking soda (it will fizz up!) stir & turn off for an hour. The baking soda gets rid of "gasiness" beans create. Drain the water & replace with fresh water or broth. Do NOT use cold water or your beans will split.

Yummy and a great way to use up leftover ham! I cut way back on the sugar, as recommended by most reviewers, adding 1.5 Tbs. I sauteed the onions and a sliced carrot in 1Tbs oil and butter, until the onions were soft, before adding the remaining ingredients. Used canned beans and added a cup of cubed butternut squash and 2 tablespoons red quinoa along with the ham and beans. Added a pinch of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground corriander, cooked 20 minutes, and during the last 2 minutes of cooking, added 1/4 tsp baking soda to reduce gassiness from the beans (per another reviewer's suggestion), 1Tbs cornstarch to thicken the remaining liquid, and about 4 oz bean sprouts, just to use those up. A lot of changes , I know, but, other than the reduced sugar, I dont think they were absolutely necessary to make this dish delicious. This recipe is very forgiving and allows one to swap out or add veges and grains that are on-hand, and spices to taste, which makes it a great recipe! And substituting canned beans drastically reduces the cooking time and you can have the meal on the table in under 30 minutes, start to finish!

I made this but instead of doing the beans the way you suggested, I simply added 2 cans of white northern beans instead which greatly cut down my cooking time. I am making this for dinner again tonight with some small variations - I used 2 cans of Great Northern Beans, I cut the amount of Cayenne Pepper in half (I did not the first time and it was just too much for our taste) and I just threw all the ingredients into the crock pot and will cook on high for approximately 4 hours until it smells like time to eat! I absolutely love this recipe and it literally takes less than 5 minutes to prepare and the crock pot does all the work. I am making pudding style corn bread (adding a can of cream of corn and a bit of brown sugar) to serve with it. Thank you so much for this recipe!!

I made it first just the way you suggested and it was just great, but I never could leave well enough alone. The second time I browned the onions plus some garlic in bacon grease (sorry ya'll) before adding the beans and ham to the pot. I also substituted 1/4 cup maple syrup for the brown sugar (I was out of brown sugar) and doubled the cayenne (YEP!). It was also great this way - and it made my spice-loving husband sooooo very happy! Thanks for this wonderful recipe.

I only had a half hour to dinner time.... I used 3 cans great northern beans, fried up the onions and ham together in the pan to increase flavor, then added the spices. The recipe given probably would taste more flavorful, but this quick adaption worked fine over brown rice! We like greens, so would probably add it over steamed kale with the brown rice next time.

This was wonderful. Used a large ham hock and subbed 3 cans of rinsed/drained beans & 1/2 water/chicken stock. Prefer liquid to be thicker so next time won’t drain beans & reduce water/broth amount a bit. Might also add another can of beans that I’ve blended. Used 1/3 c of brown sugar & thought the sweetness was just right. Added 2 small peeled & diced carrots. Also used scant 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. I checked seasonings at an hour & thought dish was going to be inedible it was so spicy. But at the 2 hour mark, spice had calmed down so much it was just a warm, background note at the end of the meal. So could try cooking longer if anyone finds it too spicy. Didn’t have parsley so left it out. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing!!!

I had left over liquid and bone from a glazed ham so I eliminated the sugar. Increased the Cayenne (that's how I roll). I also used a whole onion, 2 finely diced carrots and 2 stalks of celery diced. Seasoning I added minced garlic. But the best addition was just a few drops of liquid smoke. That was next level. Sweet, heat, savory and a touch of smoke. Maybe no longer grandmas recipe but I think she would like it. FYI I sauted the veggies and ham in bacon grease too

I cook for myself and this is a keeper, and niw I have six serving to freeze for those rushed days. I used ground coriander instead of cayenne pepper and did not add salt. I thought the ham would have enough salt for my taste. I have to sa this the best ham and bean dish ever.

Looked up the recipe to make sure I was staying true to Granma's Ham & Beans. Agree with the others about cutting back the sugar. Also if you have a leftover bone-in ham (with some meat still attached), recommend pressure cooking the bone with about 6 cups of water in an InstaPot. Gives you a nice bone broth to use.

I honestly can’t stop thinking about making it again.

We used all the ingredients for the recipe but I also added chicken boullion for flavor and to not have the brown sugar feel so sweet. Made with corn bread and it was perfect; even my husband who doesn't like beans ate it.

i never add sugar at all or cayenne but mine came out great although i used beans out of jar that I rinsed off first. too lazy to use the bagged ones! lol.. and i used chicken stock and ham base

We cut out the sugar and added carrots

My partner said it’s a keeper.