I know they won't match my late wifes

[AZ Jim]

But I am trying...I have two cups of white beans soaking. I am defrosting three ham hocks. Tomorrow I will try to finish this chore. Any advise about seasoning??

 

[Aunt Bea]

Soup beans or baked beans?

I would start by putting the beans and hocks in a pot with 1/4 t of baking soda bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, drain, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer on low for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the beans begin to break down and get soft.

Then.

For soup beans I would add a couple cloves of chopped garlic, a small chopped onion and a couple of chopped carrots along with the meat picked from the hocks and simmer until the carrots are tender, approx. 15-20 minutes. I would season the soup beans with black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

For baked beans I would leave out the vegetables and season the beans with black pepper, salt and 1/3 - 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Pour into a baking dish along with the hocks and bake at 325F for an hour or until the remaining water has been absorbed. Exact time is hard to estimate.

Good luck!

 

[AZ Jim]

Thank you Aunt Bea. These are white (navy) beans. I appreciate the help...

 

[Aunt Bea]

That's what I normally use.

I stopped using hocks because they don't seem like a good value to me. I use part of a vacuum packed ham steak and add the meat at the end of the cooking process. I also cheat and use a packet of GOYA ham flavored concentrate.

Sometimes I really cheat and start with a can of GOYA beans. layful:nthego:

Try the butter beans!

 

[Marie5656]

Just last week I bought some ham hocks and pork neck bones and did them up the Italian way...in tomato sauce. My Polish mother always put ham hocks and neck bones in her sauce. Along with the meatballs, of course, and Italian seasoning.

 

[C'est Moi]

But I am trying...I have two cups of white beans soaking. I am defrosting three ham hocks. Tomorrow I will try to finish this chore. Any advise about seasoning??

Jim, if you have onion and a carrot or two, chop them up and add to the cooking liquid to simmer with the beans. If you don't have them, just salt/pepper and the hamhocks will flavor your beans. Start easy and branch out as you learn.

 

[SeaBreeze]

Jim, I usually make Great Northern beans, which are similar. I use sliced onions, garlic powder, black pepper and a couple of bay leaves. I usually don't add salt right away because the ham adds salt to the flavor, but a little can be added near the end easily. I like to add a little of that green Tabasco sauce into my small bowl of beans when I'm eating them, give it a nice spicy taste, but never add it to the whole pot. I only make them in a crock pot.

 

[AZ Jim]

Jim, I usually make Great Northern beans, which are similar. I use sliced onions, garlic powder, black pepper and a couple of bay leaves. I usually don't add salt right away because the ham adds salt to the flavor, but a little can be added near the end easily. I like to add a little of that green Tabasco sauce into my small bowl of beans when I'm eating them, give it a nice spicy taste, but never add it to the whole pot. I only make them in a crock pot.

Thanks I will try those condiments. How much Garlic powder? BTW I use vinegar on my served dish...

 

[SeaBreeze]

We don't measure anything for these dishes Jim, but I always start out with a small amount, then when the beans are almost done, I can always add some more, too much of anything can ruin a dish, been there done that. We also dump the water we soaked the beans in overnight.

 

[fmdog44]

Chopped onions, celery carrots and ham using dry navy beans or dry white beans. Rine the beans and let them soak over night in water. I use a slow cooker and start the beans cooking long before adding ingredients because when they soften take some out usually about half and mash then to make the broth thick. Then add your seasoning (everyone is different). If you have a bone or hock throw it in when you start the beans. Occasionally I will add some chicken flavored bullion. I am a Lawry's salt fanatic so that goes in in all soups. I add lot of the celery and carrots because it is a good way to eat a lot of veggies. I simmer the soup after the veggies go in and the beans are mashed for about three hours on low. Great for freezing and eating later.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I found that I also enjoy cooked beans in my salads. I prefer the red beans, but i have also used navy beans (or other white beans) and like that, too.
Since cooked beans do not stay fresh very long, I only cook about a cup of beans at a time, which gives me about 2 cups of cooked beans, and I add a half cup (give or take)into my salad, along with fresh romaine, tomato, and about a half cup of frozen (thawed) peas.
When I cook salad beans, I just cook them plain with a little added salt, because the salad is seasoned.

 

[Catlady]

I found that I also enjoy cooked beans in my salads. I prefer the red beans, but i have also used navy beans (or other white beans) and like that, too.
Since cooked beans do not stay fresh very long, I only cook about a cup of beans at a time, which gives me about 2 cups of cooked beans, and I add a half cup (give or take)into my salad, along with fresh romaine, tomato, and about a half cup of frozen (thawed) peas. When I cook salad beans, I just cook them plain with a little added salt, because the salad is seasoned.

I put beans in my salads, too, I like all kinds of beans. I usually soak beans overnight, then change the water, and cook for 1 1/2 hours. BUT, I cook one pound at a time and after they cook I drain the water (use it for soup) and freeze the beans in one cup containers. When using beans for a recipe I already have one cup measurements.