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A big bowl of pinto beans with a spoon ready to eat
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4.38 from 195 votes

The BEST Southern Pinto Beans

This Pinto Beans Recipe with Ham Hocks is a true Southern Comfort Food delicacy. Dried pinto beans are soaked then simmered with meaty ham hocks and flavors galore reaching tender thick perfection. This is truly the best country meal you will ever have!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: soul food, south, Southern
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 79kcal

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.

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