Northern Beans and Ham

I love the creaminess of the Northern Beans. When I make a big pot of beans I use my crock pot for slow cooking. I also try and use ham shanks because they release such great flavor. Ham shanks are also very meaty. 

They can be hard to find, but most times I can find them at Walmart. Usually when I see them I stock up and place a few packages in the freezer. If you cannot locate shanks then ham hocks or ham will work just as well. I also add a bit of brown sugar into my beans. Don't ask me why, it just makes them taste so good.

I have seen some folks use molasses but I prefer brown sugar. Don't worry it's not a huge amount, just enough to give them a good flavor.

Ingredients you will need: 1 -16 oz package Dried Northern beans, ham, salt, pepper, onion, water and brown Sugar (not pictured). 

Start by sorting the beans for any pebbles and rinse them under cold water. Soak the beans for 3 hours in a large bowl. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the the rinsed beans, onion, salt, pepper, and ham shanks, hocks or ham (chopped into large chunks) into the crock pot.

Add enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. (about 6 - 8 cups) Cover and cook on high for the first hour then turn the crock pot to low and cook for an additional 4 hours or until the beans are tender and a bit creamy.

Remove the ham shanks or hocks and pull off all of the meat. Return the meat to the crock pot and add the brown sugar. Sometimes I remove about a cup of the bean juice before adding the brown sugar. It's all up to you and how much water has cooked down with the beans.

  

Crock Pot Northern Beans & Ham

Ingredients: 
1 - 16 oz package package dried northern beans 
3 -4 meaty ham hock, shank or meaty ham bone (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 - small onion, diced
water, enough to cover beans
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/3 - cup light brown sugar

Directions:

Sort the beans for any pebbles and rinse them under cold water. Soak the beans for 3 hours in a large bowl. Drain and rinse the beans. 

Add the the rinsed beans, onion, salt, pepper, and ham shanks, hocks or ham (chopped into large chunks) into the crock pot.

Add enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. (about 6 - 8 cups) Cover and cook on high for the first hour then turn the crock pot to low and cook for an additional 4 hours or until the beans are tender and a bit creamy.

Remove the ham shanks or hocks and pull off all of the meat. Return the meat to the crock pot and add the brown sugar. 

If there is a lot of juice in the cooked beans I will remove about a cup of the juice before adding the brown sugar. It all depends on how thick or thin you want the beans. Lightly mix to combine. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Note:  EVERY Crock pot is DIFFERENT. I have 3 crock pots and they all cook differently some hotter than others,  and some quicker than others, so the timing will be longer or shorter. I don't soak my northern beans before cooking because they cook tender after 5 hours of cooking in MY current crock pot. In my old crockpot, the beans were still not tender after 5 hours of cooking, so I have added to soak the beans prior to cooking in the recipe for anyone reading this.