- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 medium smoked ham hocks, about 4 ounces each
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 pound dried great northern or navy beans
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 10 cups water
- Salt
Pre-soak beans overnight per package directions. Drain and rinse. In a medium
Dutch oven with a lid, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot,
sear the ham hocks in batches, until brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the
ham hock and set aside. Add the onions. Season with pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the
beans and bay leaves. Season with pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved ham hocks and water. Bring to a
boil and reduce the heat to medium low and
simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat falls of the bone and the beans are creamy. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.
Serve with warm buttery cornbread.
