Basic White Beans with Ham Hocks

Name: Basic White Beans with Ham Hocks
Ingredients: 2 pounds dried white beans or large limas; 2 very large, meaty smoked ham hocks (about 2 pounds total); 1 small carrot; 1 medium yellow onion; 1 small head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise; 1 small celery stalk; 2 dried bay leaves; 10 black peppercorns; 1 dried red chile, such as de arbol; Zest of 1/2 lemon, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler; 1 cup dry white wine; Kosher salt

12 ingredients

14 steps

Ingredients

2 pounds dried white beans or large limas
2 very large, meaty smoked ham hocks (about 2 pounds total)
1 small carrot
1 medium yellow onion
1 small head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
1 small celery stalk
2 dried bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
1 dried red chile, such as de arbol
Zest of 1/2 lemon, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
1 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt

Directions

1

Pick through the beans and remove any debris.
2

If you have time to soak the beans overnight, place them in a large pot, add cold water to cover generously, and let sit for 12 hours or overnight.
3

Otherwise, to quick-soak the beans, put them in a heavy 6-quart pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches.
4

Bring to a boil and then turn the heat off.
5

Let soak for 1 hour and then drain in a colander.
6

Whichever method you used, drain the beans, return them to the pot, and cover with water by about 1 inch.
7

Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for several minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
8

Add the ham hocks if you are using them, along with the carrot, onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and chile.
9

Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour or longer, until the beans are nearly tender, adding a little water as necessary along the way so that the beans remain submerged.
10

When the beans are tender but still just slightly too firm to eat, add the lemon zest, white wine, and 2 tablespoons salt and continue to simmer until they are completely cooked.
11

Adjust the seasoning and remove the carrot, onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves, chile, and as many of the peppercorns as you easily find.
12

If you find that the beans are done before the ham hocks are completely tender, transfer the hocks to a small saucepan along with some bean cooking liquid and additional water to cover.
13

Simmer gently until the meat is fork-tender; let the hocks cool in the broth; and then return the broth to the beans.
14

Remove the meat from the bones and return the meat to the beans or reserve it for use in Macaroni with Beans, Roasted Pumpkin, and Ham Hocks (page 182).