Slow Cooker Beans with Greens and Ham Hocks
This dish featuring many Wisconsin ingredients is inspired by my Missouri roots, using one of my favorite kitchen gadgets: the slow cooker. Cooking your food low and slow helps to preserve more nutrients, maintain moisture and enhance flavor—all while you are doing other things. Cooking the beans with ham hocks creates a smoky, salty broth and a comforting dish that will stick to your ribs this winter.
Ingredients
1 lb dried pinto beans (or use the dried bean of your choice)
½ tsp sea salt for soaking + ¼ tsp sea salt for cooking
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 smoked pork hocks, about 2 lbs--can substitute bone-in ham or pork soup bones instead
4 cups water
4 cups bone broth—can be beef, chicken, or pork—or sub 4 more cups water
8 cups chopped collard greens or kale (about 1 large bunch)
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Directions
Rinse the dried beans and check for any rocks or shriveled beans to discard. Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl. Cover the beans with water and add the 1/2 tsp salt, using about twice the volume of water than beans to cover, as they will expand significantly during soaking. If beans emerge from the water during soaking, simply add more water and continue soaking. Let soak for 1-2 days at room temperature.
Drain and rinse the soaked beans, then place in a slow cooker. Add the onion, smoked hocks, broth, water, greens, garlic, paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, black pepper, bay leaves and brown sugar. Cover and turn heat to high.
Let simmer for about 12 hours, or up to 24 hours, cooking until the beans are extremely tender. If the liquid reduces too much during cooking, add more water or broth to keep plenty of liquid in the pot.
Once the beans are tender, add the apple cider vinegar and stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired before serving.
Suggestions
I only add a bit of salt at the beginning, as smoked ham hocks are quite salty, and the beans will absorb lots of the salty broth during cooking. Be sure to season to taste at the end.
If you want to make this on the stovetop instead of the slow cooker, reduce cooking time to 2-3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Serve with your favorite hot sauce and warm, buttered cornbread for the ultimate down-home, cold-weather meal.
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