Southern-style Pinto Beans are easy to make on the stove with a ham hock and dried pinto beans. Have a leftover ham bone from a holiday meal? This is the perfect way to use it, and create a delicious recipe!
Add the beans to a fine mesh strainer, or colander, and rinse the beans under cold water, removing any debris from the beans.
Transfer the beans from the strainer to a large bowl and add enough water to completely cover the beans. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
After the soaking time, drain the beans from the water and set them aside.
Place a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add the oil.
Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add the ham hock (or ham bone) and beans to the pot, then pour in the water and chicken broth, and season with the salt, black pepper, and bay leaves.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans uncovered for 1-2 hours. If the water level drops below the beans, add more water so the beans are covered at all times. To test if the beans are done, use a fork to smoosh a bean or two against the side of the pot, it should collapse easily, but not be mushy. I recommend checking after 1 hour of cooking. If they're not done at the time, continue checking every 15 minutes, until the beans are tender.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the bay leaves before serving.
Remove the ham hock from the pot and remove any meat that’s on the bone. Add the meat back to the beans before serving, and discard the ham bone or hock.
Notes
Using a ham hock vs. ham bone: you can purchase a ham hock anytime from the grocery store in the meat department. The ham hock comes from the bottom part of the leg and has been cured and smoked. If you have a leftover ham bone, you can use this in place of the ham hock. The ham bone is typically from the upper portion of the leg and will have more meat on it than the ham hock. If making this recipe around the holidays and you have a leftover ham bone, definitely use that! If making this another time of the year, purchase a ham hock at the grocery store.
Using bacon instead of ham: start the recipe by dicing up a pound of bacon, add it to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the diced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes. Do not add oil! You can use the bacon grease to cook the onions and garlic, instead. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, water, broth, salt, pepper and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then continue to cook the beans as instructed.
Chicken broth: if you don't have broth available, you can use 8 cups of water as the cooking liquid. Just be sure to taste the beans at the end and add more salt, if needed.
To quick-soak the beans: add the beans to a large pot and cover with water. Place on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat on the stovetop, cover and soak the beans for 1 hour before making this recipe.
To make this recipe vegetarian: omit the ham bone and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth to make vegetarian pinto beans.
Storage: store any leftover cooked pinto beans in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. Or transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze the beans for up to 6 months.
Reheating: reheat the beans in a pot on the stove over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Or reheat a single serving in a bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.