Pinto Beans Recipe

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 beans get super tender from simmering. This is straight up Southern old school eating with no frills, just soul.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Overhead shot of a large white bowl of pinto beans with ham hock and bay leaf

Pinto Beans Ingredients

  • Pinto beans: Make sure you wash and sort through the dried beans. You will find twigs, rocks, and debris, and you don’t want to eat them.
  • Chicken stock: While old schoolers like my mama used to just use water, I find that you can create a richer broth by using chicken stock.
  • Onion: White, yellow, or sweet onion will work.
  • Smoked ham hock: You can find these in the meat section at most grocery stores. Very important: make sure they are smoked and super meaty! If you aren’t a fan, just substitute with a smoked turkey leg, which is equally as good. If you don’t want meat at all, you can use 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke. I find the hocks are more flavorful and smoky but if you have a leftover ham bone, don’t let it go to waste and use it to flavor your pinto beans.
  • Herbs and spices: All you need are bay leaves, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to season these perfectly.

How to make Pinto Beans

Pinto beans, chicken stock, seasonings, onion and spices in a large pot being stirred together on white countertop
Step 1: Throw the beans in a large pot along with onion, smoked ham hocks, a couple of bay leaves (optional), and chicken stock and water.
Stirred together beans in a savory sauce.
Step 2: Cook until the beans are tender at which point the halved onion bulbs are practically melted into the cooking liquid and the entire pot is full of flavor from the smoked ham hock and bay leaves.
A pot of pinto beans on the table with a spoon lifting some up from the broth.
Step 3: Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to mix them up and then taste to adjust any seasonings to your own tastes.
A big bowl of pinto beans with a spoon ready to eat

Southern Pinto Bean Recipe

Dried pinto beans slow cooked on the stove top with chicken broth, a big ol' ham hock, and seasonings. Serve with some cornbread, and call it dinner.
4.40 from 206 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Soak Time 12 hours
Total Time 13 hours 40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 16 servings

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

This recipe used the entire package of beans I purchased and makes a large quantity, but can be scaled for smaller amounts.
Also you can replace the ham hocks in this recipe with smoked turkey instead.
Cook just above a simmer for a creamier texture. This amount of heat causes some of the beans to break down, adding more body to the liquid and giving the dish more creaminess.
Don’t forget the meat on the ham hocks. After cooking you can pick the meat from the bones to stir into the beans for you and your guests to enjoy the full flavor.
Sort your beans. You’re looking for any beans that are shriveled, super dark, or otherwise appear off. You should also be on the lookout for any small rocks or other inedible debris that might have found its way into the bag.
Soak your beans. It’s important for more even cooking and also better for digestion.
Storage: Cool the beans to room temp then transfer them to an airtight container to pop in the fridge. They should last about 4 days in the fridge if stored properly. To reheat, I prefer thawing them in the fridge overnight and then putting them in a saucepan to heat over medium heat until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

Recipe Tips

  1. Cook just above a simmer for a creamier texture. Keeping that heat low adds more body to the liquid that results in creaminess as the beans break down.
  2. Newer Beans are Best: Beans are shelf stable but the longer they sit around the longer they take to cook.
  3. Don’t forget to pick the meat: After cooking, you can pick the meat from the bones and stir into the beans. That’s good eatin boos!
  4. Soak your beans. It’s important for more even cooking and also better for digestion.

Serving Suggestions

Recipe help

How long to soak pinto beans?

I personally prefer soaking mine overnight or for at least 8-12 hours. This will shorten the cook time and make them easier to digest. Of course if you forget (been there, done that plenty), you can quick soak them.

Is there a faster way to soak beans?

If you forget to soak them overnight, you can use the quick soak method. Just pour boiling water over your beans and let them sit for an hour. The beans will absorb some of the liquid and plump up as they sit. Just note they may need to cook slightly longer than beans soaked overnight.

Can I make pinto beans in the crockpot?

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 however. To make southern-style pinto beans in a crock pot, add all of the ingredients to the pot and stir until fully combined. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the ham is tender and falling apart. 

Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

A overhead shot of a big pot of pinto beans, ham hock and bay leaves against white background

More Bean Recipes

Filed Under:  Beans and Legumes, Side Dishes, Stovetop

Comments

  1. I appreciate you sharing this recipe…the only thing different is instead of chicken stock I use a can of coke. It adds to the flavor and takes some of the gas away. My family loves them. Hope if you try, you’ll post your comment. Enjoy.

  2. This recipe sounds wonderful
    Fried potato’s and cornbread baked with corn and a little dill weed and I’m 12 years old again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  3. I’m an ex-pat of a very southern state and this is a great bean recipe and happy to know I can use smoked turkey.

    Suggestion for the hater writing a nasty comment, maybe you should just disappear. Your rudeness is rude and socially unacceptable.

  4. Ruthi, How can you make a comment like that. To Karen:

    Ruthi says

    December 31, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    And ya didn’t learn how to cook them from your Mamma??

    My mother died when I was 22 years old. Did I ever ask her. NO. She was supposed to live forever. Don’t think that she might have tried or didn’t have the time. What a nasty comment to send to another member. I have 20 recipes that I would have loved to get from my Mother. That’s not what you think about when they are dying. She never wrote them down, just knew how to do it.

    1. Your one bitter and ugly to what you have to say. If you don’t have some good to say don’t say it. Unless it about the recipe. You don’t need to bring up her mother into it

  5. Thank you. This is delicious. I didn’t soak the beans before I cooked them and they are really good. I didn’t have a bay leaf or ham hock but put ham pieces in and it seasoned them well. I will cook these again.

  6. This my go to receipe for pinto beans. For me, the crucial element is the hock. I buy from a local farmers(not smoked) which turn out very tender.
    Keep on cooking Grand Baby Cakes!

    1. Yes you can use broth, or vegetable stock/broth as well. or even water but it won’t have as much flavor.

    2. Plain old water! Cook the beans adding water as it cooks down, I cook mine 3hours but I don’t soak mine! When their done in 3 hours your beans have started breaking up and gives you a nice thick broth! If you like them soupy just add more water! All I do is add bacon or ham and salt and pepper to taste!!And some corn bread to the meal and I’m in my comfort place!

    3. When cooking for my vegetarian friends I use “Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cubes” or “Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base” in my cooking water. Both are great, but taste as you go because they are quite salty and it’s easy to overdo it! You may want to add the salt (if needed) after you’ve added the bouillon just to be safe. Obviously, I skip the ham hocks on these occasions! And, since I’m a Louisiana girl, a little cayenne pepper is a requirement.

    4. I just put on a pot of beans and this is the first time I am trying chicken stock. I just use the bullions and added to the rest. I also modified and chopped up a jalapeno to cook with it. Hope they turn out good.

    1. Definitely can be done in the crockpot. You can start at 4 hours he suggests.

4.40 from 206 votes (113 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating