This weather has been so blah lately, cold, rainy, and nasty. My crockpot goes into overtime on lazy days like this. Maci and me love it though. We stay kicked back on the couch and play video games all day. She’s got me hooked on Roblox right now. Don’t knock it until you try it. But RDR2 will always be our favorite!
This super easy, yet very delicious pintos recipe doesn’t take long at all to get going.
There’s a few ways to go about this recipe. You can soak your beans overnight a head of time (which cuts down on cooking time), or throw the raw beans in the crockpot and adjust for time there (it will take about 4-6 hours longer)..
If I’m using my crockpot, I prefer to start it the afternoon, a day ahead of time. By lunch the next day it hits the spot like no other. Letting this recipe go low and slow for such an extended period is necessary. It allows the beans and ham hocks the proper amount of time to truly break down together into a mouth watering flavor bomb in a bowl.
Pair it with my cast iron skillet cornbread recipe and you’ll be in heaven. Plus, you can add any extra spices and sauces you like to really kick up the flavor a few notches. Two flavors of mine I love to add to my chili, pintos, meatloaf, and many other recipes are Sazon and Carolina Treet. They really set this dish off!
Okay, without further ado, here we go. Start by turning the crockpot on high and set the timer for 10 hours while you are preparing everything.
First dice up a medium sweet onion.
Next, dump 16-32 oz of uncooked pintos, 2 – 8 oz sliced ham hocks, and a diced onion into the crockpot followed by 6-8 cups of water. I also splash in about 1/8 cup of Worcestershire, and 1/4 cup of Carolina Treet. Season generously with one packet of Sazon, cracked black pepper, fresh minced garlic, 3-4 beef bouillon cubes, and some cilantro, adjust to your flavor.
Tips:
- Soak your beans in a big pot the night before with plenty of water. This allows your beans to expand overnight. They can up to double in size. It helps to better judge how many beans you need per your chosen pot.
- If you don’t soak them ahead then you might add too many, and they’ll swell up in your cooking pot. Then you gotta scoop some out, and it gets messy.
- The amount of beans and water will depend on the size of your pot. I have a nice cast iron pot I use sometimes, and it holds about 32 oz of beans. Then I just top off with water accordingly.
These are the ham hocks I get from my local grocery in town.
Time and temperature will vary by model, and knowing your cooker is a plus. Mine has a good metal insert that won’t scorch my beans. After my 10 hour timer runs up, it stays on warm for a few more hours. I let it just sit now, sealed up tight throughout the night.
When you wake up in the morning, cut/shred up the ham hocks (the fat included), throw the meat back in there and give it all a good stir. Turn the cooker back on high for at least 4-6 more hours.
It’s all cooked and safe to eat. But the reason I like to let it go for a few more hours is because I’m shooting for just the right consistency. You don’t want it too watery, it should be a thicker broth.
The intoxicating aroma of pintos & ham hocks will fill the air. Finally it will be time to taste the magic and enjoy!
Crockpot Pintos & Ham Hocks
Ingredients
- 32 ounces pinto beans raw, uncooked
- 2 8 ounce sliced ham hocks
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 packet Sazon
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup Carolina Treet
- 1/8 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- black pepper, cilantro salt, garlic season to your taste
- 4 beef bouillon cubes
Instructions
- Dice a medium sweet onion.
- Place beans, both ham hocks, and diced onions into the crockpot.
- Add additional sauces and seasonings and stir.
- Pour in 8 cups of water to just barely cover everything.
- Turn on high for 10 hours
- Cut/shred ham hocks, stir well and cook on high for 4-6 more hours.