Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Well, here’s my first post in 2015. Nothing fancy or glamorous, but this meal is sure inexpensive, FILLING, and delicious! If you’ve ever had extra ham or ham bones left over after a meal, then this recipe for Pinto Beans And Ham is perfect for you!
This dish (besides being quite economical) is also totally easy to prepare, so consider that a win-win! Only a few ingredients are necessary to make a big soup pot full of these tasty, filling, tender pinto beans and shredded pieces of ham, flavored with salt/pepper, cumin, onion and garlic!
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Make A Pot Of Pinto Beans And Ham With Leftover Ham
I prepare this meal often, usually any time we have leftover ham (always after a holiday like Christmas or Easter, and in the cold winter months). The recipe makes about 8 servings, so there is always enough left over for other meals.
If you have a large ham bone from a ham hanging around (with pieces of meat still attached), that’s PERFECT! If not, then just use slices of ham, cut into small chunks. The long cooking time will help the meat to be pulled off the bone or shredded easily!
Pinto beans can be found in just about every single grocery store in the country, and are quite cheap. Buy dry pinto beans (in a bag). They will cook and soften during the cooking process.
Why The Beans Need To Cook for So Long
The long cooking time helps the beans to soften. Find another activity to do while they are cooking, and just check on them every hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, and give them a good stir!
During the last part of the cooking time, the liquid will begin to thicken. This is a GOOD thing! The ham also becomes very tender, so it is easy (especially if you added big chunks), to pull it apart into smaller pieces or shreds.
Your house will smell GREAT while these pinto beans and ham are cooking! We love to eat this thick bowl of “soup” with some Copycat Marie Callender’s Cornbread or warm, buttered flour tortillas on the side… yum!
When all is said and done, you will end up with a nice sized pot of pinto beans and ham, and not have to sped a lot on it, especially if you start with leftover ham!
If you like pinto beans or need other ways to use dried pintos, be sure and check out my blog post on how to can dried beans or how to make refried beans in the crockpot. Both recipes start with dried pinto beans!
Hope you’ll give this humble recipe for pinto beans and ham a try. I think you’re gonna love them! Sometimes simple can be so good! Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
- 1 bag pinto beans (regular sized - about 2-3 cups)
- 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached), OR 2 cups chopped cooked ham
- 1 medium brown onion , chopped
- 1 heaping Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Water
- Additional Salt/Pepper , to taste (I usually have to add more before serving)
- Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water.
- Add ham bone (or chopped ham). Add additional water, if necessary to more than cover the beans and ham.
- Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Let beans cook for approximately 4 hours. For first half of cooking time, keep a lid on the beans, but with lid vented. After about 2 hours, remove the lid and continue cooking, uncovered for remainder of time. As water level begins to reduce, add a bit more water back into the pot so that beans remain submerged during cooking time.
- Check beans to make sure they are fully softened. Remove ham bone from pot; remove any ham meat from bone and add the ham back into the pot.
- Taste test the beans when fully cooked. Mixture will thicken slightly as the amount of water reduces through the long cooking time. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas on the side, and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!
Now it’s post Thanksgiving and I have a nice ham bone and a good amount of ham (17 oz., not including the bone). I also have two 16 oz. bags of pintos and want to share with our 2 bachelor neighbors. I’ve rinsed the beans and will soak tonight. How should I cook them and for how long? Hope I can hear back by tomorrow. Thanks!
Can I add some ham bouillon to this to add more flavor if not using a bone?
I have never used ham bouillon, so I truly can’t vouch for the flavor addition. I have always used a ham bone (and the extra meat attached). Go for it, and I hope you enjoy the dish. Have a great day.
Could I cook this in a crock pot? Need to start while I’m gone to work
I have not done this before, but if you cook them low and slow, I am sure you would be successful!
This is a great recipe. Family has been cooking them uncovered for years and people think it’s impossible. Much love
Can I soak my bean over night
Absolutely- if you wish to that that it would be no problem!
How Long would you cook the beans if you soaked them?
How do I get rid of al the extra fat that cooks out of the bone.just seemed like a lot of fat? Thanks for the help.
If you have extra fat, I would just skim it out of the pan, Lin, and discard.
Great recipe! I’m from Texas and had beans and cornbread at my “Granny’s” house it was so good. You replicated it. Thank you so much. My family loved it.
I have always enjoyed Pintos more when cooked with Pork neck bones or Ham hocks because of the flavor it adds to the Bean Broth.Same applies to other Beans,Peas as well as Greens.A real Delicacy when served with Cornbread and Cole Slaw. ERNIE KIRKLAND Ee
I tried this recipe on my 98 year old dad from Oklahoma and he kept saying they tasted like what his mom used to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe, he doesn’t get good beans and ham very often because his main caregiver doesn’t like beans so while she was taking a few days off I thought it might be nice for him.
Thank you so much for sharing that, Julia! So very happy he enjoyed them!
I love chicken stock in mine adds more flavor.
Hi, Teresa… thank you for writing, and for the great tip for another way to prepare the beans n’ ham. Take care!
Will this recipe work using home made chicken stock instead of water?
Hi, Dave! Thanks for writing. I have never used chicken stock to make the pinto beans n’ ham, but there is no reason why it wouldn’t work! It might have just a slightly different taste, but I’ll bet it would still be quite delicious! Hope you enjoy the dish!
This is the first time ever making this and it was a huge hit!!!
Thank you!
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Donna! My husband always loves it when I make it for us. Thanks for taking time to write. I appreciate the feedback. Have a fantastic day!
JB, I LOVE, YOUR SOUTHERN RECIPES, MY WHOLE FAMILY, IS FROM THE SOUTH, BUT, ME & I GREW UP, ON BEANS & HAM & THEM, GOOD OLE’ CHICKEN & DUMPLINS! YOUR GRANDMA, MADE ‘EM, JUST THE WAY, MY MOM DID! LOL THANK YOU, SO MUCH, FOR ALL THESE, GREAT RECIPES!!! MAY “GOD” BLESS YOU! VICKIE
Hi, Vickie… Gotta love those old family recipes, right? My husband often requests Pinto Beans and Ham. Such a simple, inexpensive, tasty and filling meal. His family also is from Texas, but we BOTH grew up in Southern California, and now live in the Pacific Northwest, but we still love the “Southern” foods we grew up on. Thanks for writing!