Cheap, Basic Ham Bone and Beans Slow Cooker Recipe
What to do with that Ham Bone?
I came up with this ham and beans recipe because I had the remains of a ham after I cut off all the meat. Being frugal, I hated to throw out the ham bone, so I got some ideas on what to do with it. I decided to go cheap, not adding a lot of extra ingredients.The result was delicious, and I had leftovers around for about a week, until I finally had to freeze the last serving for later since I couldn't finish it all!
This is a great recipe that delivers taste and costs little. It can feed a family for two or three meals. In a smaller household, even of one, the leftovers can be frozen in individual servings and reheated at a later time. The ingredients are basic, but you can add additional optional ingredients if you’d like.
Basic Ham and Beans in Crock Pot
Ingredients for Basic Ham and Beans
1 ham bone (or ham hock)
1 16 oz bag dry white northern beans
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. celery salt
1 can chicken broth
1-2 cups water
Instructions for Ham and Bean Soup
Cover ham bone with water and boil until meat and fat fall off the bone. Add water as needed to keep ham bone covered during cooking process. When done, cool in refrigerator until fat floats to top and hardens. Scrape fat off top and discard. Heat broth and meat just enough for broth to turn back to liquid. Strain contents, saving pieces of meat while discarding fat, skin, and bones. Put meat back in broth and set aside.
Rinse beans, discarding any bad pieces. In slow cooker, combine beans, onion, garlic, pepper, celery salt, and chicken broth. Add ham and juice mixture. Depending on amount of ham broth produced, you may need to add one or two cups of water. Make sure there is plenty of liquid to make the ham and beans nice and soupy. Place lid on and cook on low heat for about 8 hours.
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Optional Cooking Ideas
Leave out garlic, celery and chicken broth to simplify more and save more money on this recipe, if you need to. You could add more water instead of broth. The chicken broth is just a nice addition to give the dish more flavor.
Other options are to replace Northern beans with navy, black, pinto, or red beans. Any kind will do. Also, you could experiment with adding a cup of chopped celery and/or carrots. If you want to keep it simple, save money, and still feed a family cheaply, stick to the above basic recipe. Even with few ingredients--especially with a ham bone--the flavors blend together to make a delicious pot of basic ham and beans that will feed several people more than once!
Comments
I am definitely bookmarking this one. I love ham and beans and am always looking for easy winter recipes for my slow cooker. Thanks and yum yum yum
My husband loves bean soup anytime and yours looks like a winner for us. The nutritional boost is worth the time it takes to slow cook the dish. I've never tried red beans in soup before and may give it a try.
Hi, Victoria. I love your recipe. It looks simple and I can't wait to make it soon. Hmmm......yummy. Rated up and delicious.
Blessing and hugs,
Ok this is one of my favorite recipes.. I am book marking this.. thanks for sharing
I voted up
debbie
I love food, too, Brandon. And not wasting stuff, and cooking large quanitities for leftovers, flavors blending together....All that you mention does reflect this recipe. Hope you try it!Thanks!
robie--I love easy slow cooker recipes, too! Glad you agree!
teaches--I didn't even think about the nutritional value in slow-cooking. Great comment! I think any kind of beans will work. Try the red!
Prasetio--I think you will enjoy the recipe, so I do hope you try it. Thanks for voting up! :-)
Thanks for the compliment and the vote, Debbie! I love beans and ham. Cooked slow makes them even better, I think!
You know any bone soup has added benefits by loading us with calcium (and benefit even from marrow being slow simmered). I guess that is why almost bare bones are so expensive. I have simmered just a bone with just enough meat to flavor but I have never thought of ham bone, and I know this would be so good.
Jackie--I didn't know the bone would add calcium. I just used it because after I cut the meat off the ham, there was so much left on the bone. Why waste it? Good to know there's nutritional value, too. Great comment!
Hey Vicki, it sounds like a pretty cool recipe. It's not something I would make, but then again I'm a very picky eater. LOL! :) It is though a creative meal. Voted up! :)
Picky, picky Cagsil! haha. If you liked ham and beans, you would LOVE this recipe, trust me. Hey, thanks for reading it, anyway, and voting up! Very cool of you!
Yes Vicki I am a picky eater. Yes, I like ham, but don't like some types of beans. :P There's a lot of food I don't eat and have tried in the past and simply don't care for. Thus, I am a picky eater. :P And, you're welcome. :)
It's okay to be picky, Cags. Sometimes I wish I were!
That sounds delicious, so I'll submit it to the family cook. Voting this Up and Useful.
alocsin--Let me know how this recipe goes over with the family cook--haha! Thanks for the votes!
I love this recipe! I use one so similar, really. I can't even see much difference. My kids are not a big fan - so I don't make it often...but I wish they did!
Sharing and everthing!
Thanks, RealHousewife! It's a great recipe, huh! Maybe your kids' tastes will change as they get older. I don't make it often b/c it makes so much and I have to freeze some of it. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Up and useful. It is simple, tasty and actually pretty good for you. Thanks for SHARING this one, I've had similar, but will have to try this.
Thanks, Brett. The recipe is all the things you said. I appreciate your comments!
Brandon Spaulding 4 months ago
That recipe looks delicious. I love ham and beans. I also like the idea of not wasting anything. I like the idea of fixing large portions in a crock pot. Like the blend of tastes that fuse together. Thanks for the great hub. I love food. lol