This is how to efficiently make ham and beans in one pot in 20 minutes. It is so simple and easy, has lots of ham, and it is extremely flavorful and healthy.
216 ozbeanscanned, Navy Beans (or Great Northern Beans) Bushs or Joan of Arc
½cupwaterhot from faucet, if needed
Instructions
Dice up ham and onion into medium-small pieces.
1 lb ham, 1 large onion
Add all ingredients to medium-sized pot and heat to boiling, scraping bottom occasionally to prevent scorching. Then, reduce to low, cover it, stirring periodically (mainly to scrape the bottom to prevent scorching). Let it cook on low for 10 minutes total. Add hot water, only if needed.
Yes, this speedy, easy beans with ham recipe can be made in 20 minutes or less. I typically will have it ready in about 15 minutes. It has been tested for shorter times but the results impacted the quality of both the flavors and the beans texture. Following our this as a guide, you’ll always have exceptionally flavors and quality to produce the best beans with ham recipe for everyone.
Using Northern Beans With Ham and Navy Beans With Ham
Regarding our recipes, we make them as “navy beans with ham” or “great northern beans with ham”. We’ve always ventured out over the decades with trying different brands. But we have relied on the brands of “Bush’s” and “Joan of Arc” for the beans. And, we’ve made them with dried beans (after overnight soaking) as well. With those, you’ll definitely have to add water to the ham and beans recipe.
High Heat Cooking Method – Fold vs Stir
The biggest tip is to not stir the beans so much; it’s really more of a lifting and folding action. You have to stir them some in order to keep the bottom from burning while heating things up quickly. But, if you focus on scraping the bottom to lift up the beans (instead of just stirring), you’ll retain the bean texture and it won’t be mushy.
Best Served With Cornbread
If you time things right, you can have cornbread alongside as well. But, that might take more minutes, due to waiting for the oven to preheat. Here are some of our popular cornbread recipes along with another mature ham and beans recipe.
This is how to make ham with beans the correct Southern Way. It won't be mushy, it has lots of ham, and it will be extremely flavorful and healthy. It goes great with cornbread.
216 ozbeanscanned, Navy Beans (or Great Northern Beans) Bushs or Joan of Arc
½cupwaterhot from faucet, as needed
Instructions
Dice up ham and onion into medium-small pieces.
1 lb ham, 1 large onion
Add ham, onion, and black pepper to medium-sized pot and cook on medium-high for about 5-10 minutes, stirring periodically. The goal is to cook the onions a bit and mainly to reduce the water in the ham.
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Add and stir in the brown sugar to distribute well.
1 tbsp brown sugar
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in the beans (undrained) and FOLD them into the other ingredients. Cover for about 10 minutes, only stirring minimally 2-3 times in the first 5 minutes, to prevent scorching the pan bottom. Add hot water, as needed.
This all time favorite now comes to you in the true and correct Southern Way. This is not the classic, national version, which is mushy and lacks full flavor. Several aspects are important. First of all, you’ll notice that you use absolutely no salt. Ham is typically already salty enough. Secondly, you actually don’t stir this pot a lot. We emphasize the “folding” of the beans. This is to avoid making the beans mushy from a lot of stirring. If you reduce the amount of times you “stir” and focus on mainly just scraping the pan’s bottom, you’ll be good to go.
And, if you’re in a big hurry, here’s a good 20-minute recipe of ours.
What kind of beans can I use for Ham with Beans recipes?
The primary choice is Navy Beans. Very good alternates are nearly any kind of white beans like “Great Northern Beans”. And yes, you can mix them. I’ve had to use a combo of Navy and Great Northern and it’s still a super outcome.
How long do I soak my dried beans, if I’m making my own instead of canned beans?
Although it’s best to follow the dried beans directions on the package, it’s usually going to be about 8 hours or overnight. And, if you didn’t soak them overnight, each package often has its own recommendation for speeding things up by cooking the beans in water, sometimes for about 1-1/2 to 3 hours on low after initial boiling.
How do I make my ham and beans recipes less gassy?
It’s the beans. Here’s a little secret. Okay, so it’s on the Internet now. Dang it! Add about 1/4-1/2 tsp baking soda to this recipe when you add in the beans, not before. If you’re making your own dried beans, then add about 1 tsp of baking soda to the soaking water for every cup of dried beans. Speaking of gas, did you know that soybeans are the number one for gas and navy beans are second? So, maybe the Great Northern Beans are looking a whole lot better for this recipe.
