Cuban Style Black Beans with Smoked Ham Hocks in the Pressure Cooker

smoked ham hocks

🥗Healthier: turkey ham

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Turkey ham reduces fat while maintaining flavor, pork shoulder is more affordable.

Wash, rinse, and soak 1 pound of black beans in hot water for about an hour and a half.

In a pressure cooker, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on the sauté cycle.

Add 1 medium chopped onion, 1 small chopped scallion, 1 chopped bell pepper, and 2 chopped jalapenos; sauté for a few minutes until flavors meld.

Remove sautéed vegetables from the pressure cooker and set aside.

Add 6 cups of water and 2 frozen smoked ham hocks to the pressure cooker; cook on pressure cook for 30 minutes.

Remove ham hocks after 30 minutes; add sautéed vegetables, 4-5 minced garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon, 2.5-3 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pot.

Add reduced stewed tomatoes to the mixture and stir to combine.

Add the soaked black beans to the pot and set the pressure cooker for another 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, check the beans for tenderness; if not tender, cook for an additional 25 minutes.

After cooking, allow for a normal pressure release of 10-15 minutes.

If beans are still not tender, cook for an additional 35 minutes.

Take out about half a cup of beans, squish them to release starches, and add them back to the pot to thicken the mixture.

Let the beans boil for about 10 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: