Best Ever Pinto Beans

This hearty pinto bean dish uses smoked ham hock to add flavor and richness. A bit of tomato sauce and brown sugar gives this meal a little zing.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr
• Total Time: 3 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 353 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• 1 (6.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 6 cups water, or more as needed to cover

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cover pinto beans with water in a large bowl. Soak beans for 4 hours, changing water every 30 to 45 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add pinto beans, ham hock, and kosher salt to the pot. Pour in more water if needed to cover ingredients by at least 1 inch.

Step 3

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are just tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Step 4

Remove ham hock from beans; cut meat from the bone, chop the ham, and return to pot.

Step 5

Stir tomato sauce and brown sugar into the beans. Continue to simmer until beans are tender and flavors are blended, about 1 more hour.