Slow-Cooked Great Northern Beans with Ham
Tender, creamy Great Northern beans slowly simmered with ham and aromatic herbs for the perfect comfort food side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds dried Great Northern beans 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced (1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Place the beans in a large Dutch oven and sort through them, discarding any debris or damaged beans. Cover with cold water by 2 inches. Cover the pot with a lid and let beans soak overnight for 8 hours.
- Drain the soaked beans through a colander and rinse. Dry the Dutch oven completely.
- Heat the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt completely. Add the diced onion and cook until it becomes translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and parsley. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the drained beans and ham chunks to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and water, then stir to combine all ingredients.
- Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 3-6 hours, depending on desired creaminess. For very creamy beans, cook for the full 6 hours.
- Serve hot as a side dish, optionally with cornbread for a complete comfort meal.