How To Make Cuban Black Beans with Ham Recipe [Episode 270]

ham

🥗Healthier: turkey ham

💰Cheaper: smoked sausage

Turkey ham reduces fat while maintaining flavor.

black beans

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: canned black beans

Canned beans save time and cost.

Soak 1 pound of black beans overnight in a cup of water.

In the morning, remove the ham hocks from the broth, reserving the broth.

Rinse the soaked beans, removing any undesirable beans.

In a slow cooker, cook the beans with 6 cups of ham hock broth for about 1.5 hours.

After 1.5 hours, check if the beans are tender; if not, cook longer.

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté 1 diced large onion until translucent, about 6 minutes.

Add 1 diced red bell pepper and cook for 2 additional minutes.

Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Pour in 1/4 cup of white dry wine (or substitute with broth or apple juice).

Add 1 tablespoon of dry oregano, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, and 1 bay leaf.

Add the reserved ham meat from the hocks, adjusting the amount to taste.

Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, mixing well.

Cover and cook for about 1 additional hour on medium-high.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: