The Best Fucking Ham and Beans

Submitted by GodsMullet

Uploaded by Toast

This entry won second place in Iron Chef SA 4: Battle Beans

Feel free to substitute cured ham for this recipe. I personally prefer non-smoked meats which is why I bought the ham raw, instead of cured - less salt and more of a "meaty" flavor.

Yeah, I know this is sort of long and involved for a simple southern dish, but I'm a firm believer of if you cook with shit, you'll end up with shit, which is why I hate using pre-made stocks.

Finally I dropped my camera, and I think I fucked up the viewfinder, so many pics are off a little bit.

The Best Fucking Ham and Beans:

Making the Ham Stock

Ingredients:

• 2 lb Ham Hocks
• 4 slices Bacon
• 3 Carrots
• 4 stalks of Celery
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 large Onion
• 2 Shallots
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 Quarts Water
• Black Pepper
• 4 Tbsp Chicken Base
• Seasoning Salt
• - Sachet d'epices-
• 3 tbsp Thyme
• 1 tbsp Mustard Powder
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Pepper Medley
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Basil

Method

• Roughly cut the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and shallots - don't bother peeling or prepping. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes in the olive oil

• then add the water, ham, bacon, bay leaves, and seasonings.

• After 20 minutes, wrap the sachet d'epices in cheesecloth and drop in the stock.

• Let reduce for a couple hours. Strain through a cheesecloth.

Cooking the Ham:

Ingredients:

• 10 lb Ham Roast
• 1 can crushed Pineapple
• Brown Sugar
• Mustard Powder
• Honey

• Score the top of the ham at inch intervals - since this is going to be cut up and mixed with the beans, there's no need to get fancy - you just want the glaze to soak in. Rub a bit of mustard powder into the skin of the ham. Coat the ham in honey, and spread the crushed pineapple on top. Top with about 1/2lb of brown sugar.

• Put the ham in at 325 for 5 hours or until it reaches 160. As the ham cooks, the juices will start flowing, causing everything to mix and create a nice glaze. Every 1/2 an hour or so, re-glaze the ham (take the juices and pour it back onto the ham).

• About one hour into cooking:

• About four hours into cooking:

• Done:

• Let cool for about 30 minutes, trim, and cut into bitesized chunks. You'll use probably around 1/2 the ham, and save the rest for sandwiches.

Making the Ham and Beans:

Ingredients:

• 2lb Navy Beans
• 1 medium Onion
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 3 Shallots
• 3 Carrots (diced)
• 4 slices bacon (diced)
• 1/2 cup Whiskey
• 2 tsp Chicken Base
• Seasoning Salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup Worchester Sauce
• 3 dashes Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar

Method:

• Soak the beans overnight in a pot of water.

• Cook the beans for 2 to 3 hours in the ham stock until almost ready to break up.

• In the meantime, cook off the bacon, and add to the beans.

• In the grease, sauté the onion, garlic and shallots.

• Once tender, add the chicken base and seasoning salt to taste. Pour the whiskey in the skillet and let get hot.

• Light, and flambé until the fire goes out.

• Add the carrots, ham, onion flambé, and remaining ingredients to the beans and cook for 1/2 an hour longer. Garnish and serve.

Serving