Thread: Beans and Hamhocks

In article <_d_7l.13262$[email protected]>,
phaeton <[email protected]> wrote:

> I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
> basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
> it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.

My wife grew up eating it too. And she doesn't abide sugar in the
cornbread. We're lucky enough to get cheap smoked ham hocks with lots of
meat here occasionally. I use canned pinto beans.

Here's my recipe to her satisfaction

About a two pound smoked ham hock (meaty)
about 4 pounds canned pinto beans
it's up to you on the cornbread

Place the ham hock in water to come half way up the hock for 4 hours at
high simmer. I see a little steam. I use a 9 1/2" 3 quart pot. Let the
liquid reduce until there's a pint and then try to maintain it, or taste
what's left once you've removed the ham hock and add water to reduce
saltiness if needed.
After four hours, pull the ham hock out of the liquid and let cool a
bit. While the ham hock is cooling, open the beans, rinse and put in the
simmering liquid.
Pull out the two bones from the ham hock and trim the pieces you find
unsavory from the remaining meat. Big gelatinous pieces, fat and any
black looking outer skin come to mind. Cut the meat in bite sized pieces
and add back into the beans. When all is hot enough, serve with your
favorite homemade cornbread.
You didn't ask for a recipe, but that's what I do. Personally, I like
carrots in this, so I cook them separately and add them to my portion. I
don't like them cooked with the recipe.
This entire thing requires very little work, only time.

leo

In article <_d_7l.13262$[email protected]>,
phaeton <[email protected]> wrote:

> I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
> basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
> it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
>
> Strange how age makes you like things that you didn't before.

Works well with lentils or split peas too.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Ever use pork neck bones instead of a ham "hock"? The meat inside and
surrounding the neck bones is especially tneder and lean. Really quite
lovely stuff.
I prefer them, actually.

I like to brown my neck bones in a little olive oil, then add chopped
onions and slightly brown them, too. Then add two cups of beef broth,
two or three cans of any kind of beans (I like the white ones), S&P to
tase. I go a little heavy on the coarse black pepper and a pinch of
crushed Red, too. Simmer for an hour or so, adding more liquid if
needed.

AMEN to cornbread without sugar! WHO started THAT, I wonder? In the
South, cornbread is cornbread and cake is cake...

Garnish with a green onion (Spring onion, I think Yankees call them?)
and goes mighty well with buttermilk.

Neckbones and rice is another dish worth trying. Basically the same
method, but add rice to the broth and bones instead of beans and cook
til the liquid is absorbed.
VERY hearty, great cold weather one-pot meal.

Lass

On Jan 4, 4:18�am, Leonard Blaisdell <leoblaisd...@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> In article <_d_7l.13262$c45.9...@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com>,
>
> �phaeton <blahbleh...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > I grew up eating this stuff. �I've never lived in The South. �It's very
> > basic, very plain. �Usually comes with cornbread. �I didn't really like
> > it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
> My wife grew up eating it too. And she doesn't abide sugar in the
> cornbread. We're lucky enough to get cheap smoked ham hocks with lots of
> meat here occasionally. I use canned pinto beans.
>
> Here's my recipe to her satisfaction
>
> About a two pound smoked ham hock (meaty)
> about 4 pounds canned pinto beans
> it's up to you on the cornbread
>
> Place the ham hock in water to come half way up the hock for 4 hours at
> high simmer. I see a little steam. I use a 9 1/2" 3 quart pot. Let the
> liquid reduce until there's a pint and then try to maintain it, or taste
> what's left once you've removed the ham hock and add water to reduce
> saltiness if needed.
> After four hours, pull the ham hock out of the liquid and let cool a
> bit. While the ham hock is cooling, open the beans, rinse and put in the
> simmering liquid.
> Pull out the two bones from the ham hock and trim the pieces you find
> unsavory from the remaining meat. Big gelatinous pieces, fat and any
> black looking outer skin come to mind. Cut the meat in bite sized pieces
> and add back into the beans. When all is hot enough, serve with your
> favorite homemade cornbread.
> You didn't ask for a recipe, but that's what I do. Personally, I like
> carrots in this, so I cook them separately and add them to my portion. I
> don't like them cooked with the recipe.
> This entire thing requires very little work, only time.
>
> leo

Just canned beans and a cooked to death ham hock... that's it???...
not worth dirtying a pot.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Lass Chance_2) wrote:

> Ever use pork neck bones instead of a ham "hock"? The meat inside and
> surrounding the neck bones is especially tneder and lean. Really quite
> lovely stuff.
> I prefer them, actually.
>
> I like to brown my neck bones in a little olive oil, then add chopped
> onions and slightly brown them, too. Then add two cups of beef broth,
> two or three cans of any kind of beans (I like the white ones), S&P to
> tase. I go a little heavy on the coarse black pepper and a pinch of
> crushed Red, too. Simmer for an hour or so, adding more liquid if
> needed.
>
> AMEN to cornbread without sugar! WHO started THAT, I wonder? In the
> South, cornbread is cornbread and cake is cake...
>
> Garnish with a green onion (Spring onion, I think Yankees call them?)
> and goes mighty well with buttermilk.
>
> Neckbones and rice is another dish worth trying. Basically the same
> method, but add rice to the broth and bones instead of beans and cook
> til the liquid is absorbed.
> VERY hearty, great cold weather one-pot meal.
>
> Lass

Rice made in a rich stock is always good. I never cook rice in just
water. ;-d

Stock with onions, garlic, celery and carrots is the general rule, and
sometimes sliced mushrooms....

Never tried the neck bones. I've got some hocks in the freezer. I
prefer them to trotters as they are easier to debone.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

phaeton wrote:
> I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
> basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
> it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
>
> Strange how age makes you like things that you didn't before.

These old things seem to become our comfort food as we grow older.
It IS odd.

--
Jean B.

On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 09:22:15 -0500, [email protected] (Lass
Chance_2) wrote:

>AMEN to cornbread without sugar! WHO started THAT, I wonder? In the
>South, cornbread is cornbread and cake is cake...

We Yankees make up for it by not putting sugar in our iced tea.

Carol

--
Change JamesBond to his agent number to reply.

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:
> On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 09:22:15 -0500, [email protected] (Lass
> Chance_2) wrote:
>
>> AMEN to cornbread without sugar! WHO started THAT, I wonder? In the
>> South, cornbread is cornbread and cake is cake...
>
> We Yankees make up for it by not putting sugar in our iced tea.
>
> Carol
>

Good one, Carol!

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 09:22:15 -0500, [email protected] (Lass
Chance_2) wrote:

>Garnish with a green onion (Spring onion, I think Yankees call them?)

I think only TV cooks call them "spring onion".


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:46:54 -0600, Omelet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Never tried the neck bones.

They're very good. Harder to find than hocks around here though.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:50:36 -0600, Janet Wilder
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Damsel in dis Dress wrote:
>> On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 09:22:15 -0500, [email protected] (Lass
>> Chance_2) wrote:
>>
>>> AMEN to cornbread without sugar! WHO started THAT, I wonder? In the
>>> South, cornbread is cornbread and cake is cake...
>>
>> We Yankees make up for it by not putting sugar in our iced tea.
>
>Good one, Carol!

Heehee! The debil made me do it.

Carol, who eats corn bread both ways, but doesn't sweeten her tea

--
Change JamesBond to his agent number to reply.

Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
> In article <_d_7l.13262$[email protected]>,
> phaeton <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
>> basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
>> it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
> My wife grew up eating it too. And she doesn't abide sugar in the
> cornbread. We're lucky enough to get cheap smoked ham hocks with lots of
> meat here occasionally. I use canned pinto beans.
>
> leo

Thanks for the recipe! I'm actually going to attempt it the long way
though... soaking beans overnight and cooking all day (in the crock pot
of course).

Funny you mention cornbread without sugar. As a kid I didn't like
cornbread, and in retrospect it's probably because my mom made it
without sugar also. Later on in life, I tried the 'sweet' cornbread and
liked it. But now, I like it either way.

I was originally thinking about just buying a cornbread mix, but now I
think I should try it from scratch, "mom's way".

-Jared

sf wrote:
> LassChanc wrote:
> >Garnish with a green onion (Spring onion, I think Yankees call them?)
>
> I think only TV cooks call them "spring onion".

TV cooks try to sound European... green onion and spring onion are
synonomous, they're immature bulb onions.. in Europe they're harvested
a bit later when the bulb has just begun to form. In the US many say
scallion, but scallion is a different plant.

scallion [SKAL-yuhn]
The name "scallion" is applied to several members of the onion family
including a distinct variety called scallion, immature onions
(commonly called green onions ), young leeks and sometimes the tops of
young shallots. In each case the vegetable has a white base that has
not fully developed into a bulb and green leaves that are long and
straight. Both parts are edible. True scallions are generally
identified by the fact that the sides of the base are straight,
whereas the others are usually slightly curved, showing the beginnings
of a bulb. All can be used interchangeably although true scallions
have a milder flavor than immature onions. Scallions are available
year-round but are at their peak during spring and summer. Choose
those with crisp, bright green tops and a firm white base. Midsized
scallions with long white stems are the best. Store, wrapped in a
plastic bag, in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator for
up to 5 days. Scallions can be cooked whole as a vegetable much as you
would a LEEK. They can also be chopped and used in salads, soups and a
multitude of other dishes for flavor.

� Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:18:43 -0800, Leonard Blaisdell
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <_d_7l.13262$[email protected]>,
> phaeton <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
>> basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
>> it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
>My wife grew up eating it too. And she doesn't abide sugar in the
>cornbread. We're lucky enough to get cheap smoked ham hocks with lots of
>meat here occasionally. I use canned pinto beans.

The wife spent much of her childhood in eastern KY, in the
Appalachians, where school lunches often consisted of "soup beans" and
cornbread. Soup beans are pintos cooked with bacon til very soft,
with enough water to make a bean-y medium-thick broth. I learned to
like it (with yankee cornbread---you know, yellow stuff with sugar in
it), but to this day there are very few bean dishes that Geniece will
eat...

Best -- Terry

On 4-Jan-2009, phaeton <[email protected]> wrote:

> Thanks for the recipe! I'm actually going to attempt it the long way
> though... soaking beans overnight and cooking all day (in the crock pot
> of course).
>
> Funny you mention cornbread without sugar. As a kid I didn't like
> cornbread, and in retrospect it's probably because my mom made it
> without sugar also. Later on in life, I tried the 'sweet' cornbread and
> liked it. But now, I like it either way.
>
> I was originally thinking about just buying a cornbread mix, but now I
> think I should try it from scratch, "mom's way".
>
> -Jared

It has been my experience that, when cooking beans all day (or overnight) in
a crockpot, it is not necessary to soak them overnightfirst. I rinse the
beans (usually pintos, but sometimes other varieties) in several changes of
water, until the water is clear. Then, I add them to the crock pot with a
sufficient quantity of pork stock (see below) to cover beans to a depth of
at least 3 inches, reserving any remaining stock for possible later
addition.

As an alternative to ham hocks, I use smoked pork shanks; they are much
meatier than hocks, but with equally good flavor. Where I buy shanks, they
have been cut across the bone into approximately 1" thick sections. I brown
the cut ends in a bit of canola oil, then cover with plenty of water and add
2-3 bay leaves, bring to a boil, then back it down to a simmer. When the
meat is falling off the bones, I discard the bay leaves, remove the meat and
use the stock to cook the beans, as mentioned above. After the shanks cool,
I remove and discard the skin and bone, saving the meat for adding to the
beans toward the end of cooking. With the exception of red pepper flakes,
which I sometimes add, I hold off on salt and pepper until near the end.

Here's my favorite corn bread recipe:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Corn Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups cornmeal -- *see Note
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 whole eggs -- large
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon shortening

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Beat eggs and mix with buttermilk into the
dry, stir well.

Heat a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet with a tblspn of oil in it in a 450F
oven.

When oven is heated, pour the cornbread mix in the skillet and bake for 20
minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.

Yield:
"8 wedges"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 184 Calories; 4g Fat (19.6% calories
from fat); 7g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 55mg Cholesterol;
507mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk;
1/2 Fat.

NOTES : Medium or coarse ground; I prefer Bob's Redmill Coarse Ground Corn
Grits/Polenta.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0

--
Change Cujo to Juno in email address.

If you have dietary issues that make nutrition information very important
to you, please calculate your own; the nutrition information supplied with
this recipe is approximate and should NOT be used by those for whom the
information is critical.

Omelet wrote:

> Rice made in a rich stock is always good. I never cook rice in just
> water. ;-d
>
> Stock with onions, garlic, celery and carrots is the general rule, and
> sometimes sliced mushrooms....
>
> Never tried the neck bones. I've got some hocks in the freezer. I
> prefer them to trotters as they are easier to debone.

Neck bones are delicious when you cook turnip greens, pinto beans, etc.,
but I get tired of picking out the tiny little bones.

Becca

Leonard Blaisdell wrote:

> My wife grew up eating it too. And she doesn't abide sugar in the
> cornbread. We're lucky enough to get cheap smoked ham hocks with lots of
> meat here occasionally. I use canned pinto beans.
>
> Here's my recipe to her satisfaction
>
> About a two pound smoked ham hock (meaty)
> about 4 pounds canned pinto beans
> it's up to you on the cornbread
>
> Place the ham hock in water to come half way up the hock for 4 hours at
> high simmer. I see a little steam. I use a 9 1/2" 3 quart pot. Let the
> liquid reduce until there's a pint and then try to maintain it, or taste
> what's left once you've removed the ham hock and add water to reduce
> saltiness if needed.
> After four hours, pull the ham hock out of the liquid and let cool a
> bit. While the ham hock is cooling, open the beans, rinse and put in the
> simmering liquid.
> Pull out the two bones from the ham hock and trim the pieces you find
> unsavory from the remaining meat. Big gelatinous pieces, fat and any
> black looking outer skin come to mind. Cut the meat in bite sized pieces
> and add back into the beans. When all is hot enough, serve with your
> favorite homemade cornbread.
> You didn't ask for a recipe, but that's what I do. Personally, I like
> carrots in this, so I cook them separately and add them to my portion. I
> don't like them cooked with the recipe.
> This entire thing requires very little work, only time.
>
> leo

Never bought canned pinto beans before, since they are so easy to cook.
Who knows, I may try them some day.

Like your wife, I never had sugar in my corn bread, but I am getting
used to it. My husband likes it that way, so now I am up to 1/4 cup.
Now, I kinda like it that way.

Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425° F.
Pour a tablespoon or two of cooking oil in a cast iron skillet and place
in the oven while the oven preheats.

In a bowl combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add
milk, egg and oil. Stir until mixed. Pour batter into cast iron skillet
and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center
comes out clean.

Becca

On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:14:57 -0600, phaeton <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I grew up eating this stuff. I've never lived in The South. It's very
>basic, very plain. Usually comes with cornbread. I didn't really like
>it as a kid, but lately I've been sort of.....wanting some.
>
>
>Strange how age makes you like things that you didn't before.

Beans and cornbread are pure comfort food. They truly do feed the
soul. It's interesting how many cuisines feature a legume plus a
grain (making a complete protein) as a basic dish:

pinto beans and cornbread
baked beans and brown bread
red beans and rice
black beans and rice
beans and corn tortillas
dal and rice

Tara

On Jan 4, 1:52�pm, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:46:54 -0600, Omelet <ompome...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Never tried the neck bones. �
>
> They're very good. �Harder to find than hocks around here though.

If you want meaty instead of bony smoked pork chops are popular at
Hispanic markets, they're smoked same as hocks.