Best Ever Pinto Beans

6 Reviews

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 3 hr
Ready In: 7 hr 10 min

“I learned to make pinto beans from my Grandma, who came from Oklahoma. I've added to the recipe, and my Mother used to say mine were the best beans she'd ever tasted. Serve the Southern way - with cornbread and steamed greens.” - by Foxy

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans
6 cups water, or more as needed to cover
1 smoked ham hock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 (6.5 ounce) can tomato sauce

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Metric US

Original recipe yields 6 servings

Directions

Cover pinto beans with water in a large bowl. Soak beans for 4 hours, changing water every 30 to 45 minutes. Drain.
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add pinto beans, ham hock, and kosher salt to the pot. Pour in more water if needed to cover ingredients by at least 1 inch.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are just tender, 2 to 3 hours.
Remove ham hock from beans; cut meat from the bone, chop the ham, and return to pot.
Stir tomato sauce and brown sugar into the beans. Continue to simmer until beans are tender and flavors are blended, about 1 more hour.

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (6 total)

Calories
352 cal
18%

Fat
8.2 g
13%

Carbs
49.5 g
16%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (6)

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wired357

May. 7, 2012

"Easy and Tasty! Soaked the beans overnight. No ham hock, but had a 8oz package of Salt Pork. Cubed then browned the salt pork in a pan, then added the pork and fat to the pot. I like my beans peppe..." See morery, so I added a Tablespoon of black pepper. Served with some fresh skillet cornbread....YUM!"

Paula

Apr. 20, 2012

"Lots of people in the South eat pinto beans as a meal, but I had only eaten white beans this way. I chose to follow this recipe as a guideline rather than following it exactly. I decided to make this ..." See morelate in the day, so I did the quick soak method where I brought the beans and water to a boil and let them sit covered for an hour. I then poured off the water and used 2 cans of chicken broth and 4 cups of water. I omitted the ham hock because it makes food greasier than what I prefer. I did have to add more water as the beans cooked. When the beans were just tender, I added chopped onion, ham pieces, the brown sugar, and tomato sauce. I could not find a 6.5 oz. can of tomato sauce, so I used all of the 8 oz. can I bought. I cooked it all for another hour as the recipe states. I ate this for dinner accompanied with cornbread and green onions."