Brown Beans with Ham and Cornbread

I love great comfort food and nothing says comfort more than a pot of ham and beans.   I always use a ham shank from the meat case at Harter House.   It’s so simple, and you can leave the house all day (or work in the gardens) and come home to a nice crock pot of beans and ham!

I soak my beans overnight in a bowl of water, then rinse, throw them in the crock pot and cover with lots of water (or broth), ham shank, some chiles, onion and carrots.  Simply turn on the crock to high and off I go.  When I return, I bake a round of cornbread. 

Pinto Beans and Ham Shank

1 lb. / 16 oz. bag Pinto beans, sorted, rinsed., and soaked overnight.

1 Whole Harter House Ham Hock

1/2 pound of Harter House Sweet Italian Sausage (my addition)

1 Table Cavender's NO Salt Greek Seasoning

Garlic

Large Onion

Carrots, sliced or diced (optional)

1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Soak beans overnight.
In the morning, drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
Put your drained and rinsed beans into the stock pot or crockpot and cover with fresh water, about two inches above the bean level, approximately 3-4 quarts. 

Add 2 smashed garlic cloves to the beans and water.
Add 1/2 to 1 tsp dried crushed red peppers  or cayenne pepper (optional)
Add Chopped Onions and Cavender's Greek Seasoning or about a teaspoon of Kosher salt.
Add one whole Ham Shank from Harter House.

Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for a total of 6-8 hours.  Do not open lid to check or stir for at least three hours.

Check at 6 hours to see if they need more salt or water.

In a skillet, cook the sweet Italian Sausage and add it to the ham and beans.

NOTE Use quick soak method to prepare beans.  Place cleaned and sorted beans in a dutch oven, cover them with 6-8 cups HOT water (I use a tea kettle), boil the beans for two minutes, place the lid to the dutch oven on the pot, remove from heat and let stand at least 1 hour.
After one hour, drain and rinse the beans in a colander. continue as above.

I choose Cavender's NO salt Greek Seasoning because it does not contain monosodium glutamate.

The regular does.

Serve with Cornbread.