My mama made this pinto beans recipe all the time because it was easy, flavorful, and cheap boos! The smoked ham hock adds flavor to the broth while the pinto beans get super tender from simmering. Pinto beans are straight-up Southern old-school eating with no frills, just soul. Get into it!
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How to Make Pinto Beans
These step-by-step photos show how to make pinto beans with ham hocks, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Best Pinto Beans Recipe
1. Start with soaked beans, ham hocks, chicken stock, water, bay leaves, and onion
Add them to a large stock pot and give everything a good stir so the beans are fully submerged.
2. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cover with a lid
Cook until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally, then season with pepper, garlic powder, and salt, stirring well so everything is evenly seasoned.
3. Taste your simmered pinto beans and adjust seasoning if needed
Serve hot, and enjoy!
PRO TIP: Soak your beans, boos! I like to soak mine overnight or at least 8 to 12 hours. It helps cut down the cook time and makes the beans easier to digest. If you forget, and trust me it happens, you can quick soak them by pouring boiling water over the beans and letting them sit for about an hour. They will plump up and be ready to cook! Just know they might need extra time on the stove compared to an overnight soak.
Full Southern Pinto Beans Recipe
Southern Pinto Bean Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (11 ounce) package pinto beans picked through and soaked in lots of water overnight
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 quart water
- 1 onion halved or roughly chopped
- 2 halves smoked ham hock (about ¾ pound total)
- 2 bay leaves optional
- 1 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder plus more to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the soaked beans, chicken stock, water, onion, ham hocks, and bay leaves (if using) to a large stock pot.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nice and tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Season with pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Serve.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Let the beans cool to room temp, then transfer them to an airtight container. Make sure the beans are fully submerged in the broth so they don’t dry out! They will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers with plenty of liquid. They will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally. If they look thick, splash in a little water or stock to loosen them back up.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Start with good dried beans. Pinto beans last a long time on the shelf, but the fresher they are, the faster they cook, and the more evenly they soften. If your beans have been sitting forever, they may take longer.
- Wash and sort through the beans. You will find twigs, rocks, and debris, and you don’t want to eat them.
- Build flavor from the jump. While old-schoolers like my mama used to use water, I find that you can create a richer broth with homemade chicken stock.
- Choose the right meat. Look for smoked ham hocks in the meat section and make sure they’re actually smoked and meaty.
- Let the beans cook just above a simmer. Low heat helps the beans break down, which gives you a creamier broth.
- Don’t forget to pick the meat! Once everything’s tender, pull that ham hock out, pick the meat off the bone, and stir it back into the pot. That’s good eatin boos!
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Serving Ideas
- Cornbread: Ain’t nothing like sopping up your beans with some hot water cornbread or even sweet potato cornbread for a sweet twist.
- Rice: I love ladling homemade pinto beans over simple steamed rice or, for even more flavor, Mexican rice or Jollof rice.
- Classic Southern Mains: Make some old school chicken gizzards or fried chicken or some delish smothered pork chops. And don’t forget a pot of mustard greens to get some down-home veggies in the mix.
- Southern Dessert: Finish everything off with some peach cobbler or cream cheese pound cake.
Recipe Help
Yep for sure boos. My mama took this shortcut plenty of times! I won’t lie, you will lose a bit of flavor and creaminess with this method, but it still gets the job done. Just add everything to the crockpot, stir, and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the ham is tender and falling apart.
Absolutely. You can use a smoked turkey leg, or add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke to the pot if you want it vegetarian. I will always say ham hocks give the deepest flavor, but if you have a leftover ham bone, toss it in. Don’t waste good flavor, boos!
Yep! It used the entire package of beans I purchased and makes a large quantity, but can be scaled for smaller amounts.
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You can also do this with unsoaked beans in a pressure cooker. 20 minutes at pressure, 5 minute cool down, then run some water over the top untill pressure is released.
Let it rest for 15 minutes at least.
This is great information! Thank you for sharing!
Sorry, what do you mean by ‘run some water over the top’? The lid of the instant pot? That scares the heck out of me 🙂
How long do you soak the beans? Do you add anything yo the soaking water?
Usually you will soak beans overnight or use a quick soak method. A reader wrote a comment here suggesting the following: You can also do this with unsoaked beans in a pressure cooker. 20 minutes at pressure, 5 minute cool down, then run some water over the top untill pressure is released.
Let it rest for 15 minutes at least.
Another tip to thicken the beans is to cook hard the last 30 minutes. Add a pinch of baking soda and a tablespoon of sugar. Nice rich thick gravy. Yum.
Nice tip! Thank you for sharing!
My question is will the ham hocks be done if you start them with the beans.
My family usually starts the ham hocks first and we let them get tender in the boiling water for a long period of time (about an hour in boiling water) before adding the beans but this is Aaron’s method. Feel free to do what works best for you.
Add 2 tsp of liquid smoke to enhance flavor.
I have a question about after soaking beans. I normally rinse them well and then add fresh water and start the cooking process. I like to add onions, garlic, cumin, New Mexico green chili and of course the ham hock. It makes them very flavorable
On rinsing the beans, What do you normally do? Also I’ve heard rinsing them in baking soda also gets the “gas” out?
Yes I have rinsed with baking soda in the past and also with just fresh water and both methods work fine. I love the idea of adding the green chili along with cumin. Will try next time for a change.
Hey, Granny here: rinsing them in baking soda will not do a thing, except clean the outside of the bean! With soaking, beans take inside water, which makes them swell, for which the skins have to soften, releasing the chemicals that cause you gas and bloating back into the soak water. SOAK them with a pinch (1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp) baking soda stirred into water will not only hasten that process and shorten the soak time, it also makes a more tender bean. NEVER use your soak water to cook your beans: the gassy-making chemical is in that water!
Fried tsters with onions in’em, and some sliced tomatoes, and some hot sauce for the beans.
Save a corner of your gullet for cornbread and milk after the beans. That’s livin’.
Sounds fantastic Jack!
Can you make this in an instant pot??
Yes I see that someone made some suggestions on how to make these in a pressure cooker below. You can also do this with unsoaked beans in a pressure cooker. 20 minutes at pressure, 5 minute cool down, then run some water over the top untill pressure is released.
Let it rest for 15 minutes at least.
I knew I moved my bay laurel inside for a good reason!
I’ve never thought of adding bay leaves into “One of the greatest Southern”
dishes known. Thank you for this recipe!!!
Absolutely!!! Let me know how it turns out for you.
If you add the garlic powder to the water you soak the beans in it takes the beans to another level!
Sounds amazing!!
Do you add more when you cook it?
Exactly. Why not add the garlic powder at the beginning to impart more flavor? It will cut down on the amount of salt needed at the end because of the natural flavor
You can certainly do that but this is Aaron’s method, and they turn out delicious.
Can’t wait to try this! Five years ago, I learned to add 1/4 tsp salt to the soak water. It makes for a shorter soak time and a better flavor. Was taught not to add salt until the end of cooking or my beans would be hard. Ever since I’ve soaked beans in salt water, they are better oh so goood.