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White Beans and Leftover Ham -A great way to use up that leftover holiday ham easily and with ingredients you already may have on hand!
I don’t know about you all, but by the time the new year rolls around I am tired of food and I am tired of cooking. The mad rush to get it all done and be everywhere crammed into that short period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is exhausting. At least it is for me.
I try to use our leftovers in creative ways the day after a big meal. I don’t just mean a late night turkey and stuffing sandwich, but turkey tetrizzini, ham and potato gratin and this very simple recipe. For when simple is what you are looking for because you KNOW it will hit a home run in the comfort food department.
White Beans and Leftover Ham
I don’t fancy up this recipe and it is the same one I have been making for years. I first got the hint to use a bit of brown sugar and ground red pepper from my husbands grandmother. It gives a little sweet with the savory without confusing your palate. This is exactly what we need after weeks of little sleep, stress, and calorie-busting meals. Or maybe that is just me.
What makes this dish is the slow simmer of the ham bone. As you know there is so much flavor to be rendered from a bone, in that the marrow really flavors the base. If you don’t have a ham bone- never fear. You can achieve great results just using diced ham. Maybe take a peek in your meat department of your local supermarket. They may sell ham bones, ham hocks or pork joints. All of which would be great here as well.
I made this particular recipe on the stove top using the overnight soak method. Alternately, you could add your rinsed and sorted beans to a large sized slow cooker, making sure to use 7 cups of liquid in your recipe. You would cook that on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. It is done when the liquid has absorbed and the beans are tender. Remove the bone and serve.
On a side note: Hurst’s Beans includes a seasoning packet in many of their bags of beans. Use it- trust me. In it is the exact herbs and spices that make these beans shine! Pre-measured and ready to use. Don’t you love that?
For more recipes, tips and retail locations visit the Hurst’s Beans website. I am sharing this recipe on behalf of Hurst’s Beans- but all opinions are my own.
For more ways I use Hurst’s Beans click HERE and HERE.
Beans are heart healthy!
Total Servings 8
This classic dish is easy to prepare and can be modified for use in a slow cooker. I soaked overnight BUT you can also do a quick soak method: Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans and soak the beans for about 2 hours. Drain the water.
8 hr, 15 Prep (inc. refrigeration & rest time)
3 hrCook Time
11 hr, 15 Total Time
Ingredients
- leftover ham bone with attached ham OR 3 cups of diced ham
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 TB brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
- pinch salt/pepper to taste
- 1 package Great Northern beans with Hurst’s® original ham flavor
- seasoning packet included in the beans
Instructions
- Rinse and sort beans, discarding debris.
- Put in a bowl and cover with water.
- Allow to soak overnight OR see summary for other options.
- Drain beans, discarding water.
- In a soup pot, saute the onion and garlic on medium heat until soft.
- Place in the ham bone or ham, turning to lightly saute on all sides.
- Stir in the brown sugar, beans and ground red pepper.
- Cover bean mixture with water- about 7 cups.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and allow to cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove ham bone and discard.
- Stir in the contents of seasoning packet.
- Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season if needed and serve.
