Dried beans should be sorted, cleaned, and soaked before you add them to a dish, including this one.


Sort through the beans and get rid of any small stones or other debris.
Rinse the beans with running water.
Soak the beans in 8 cups (2 L) of water inside a large covered saucepan. Allow them to soak overnight in a refrigerator.
When done, drain the water and rinse the beans once more.
 Pour the vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and warm it over medium-high heat. Give the oil a few minutes to become hot.


When at the right heat, the oil should look even glossier than normal and should glide around the pan even more readily.
Note that if you do not have a Dutch oven, a large, heavy stockpot with a lid will also work.
 Add the ham hocks to the hot oil in batches, searing them on all sides until the meat turns brown. This should take roughly 4 to 6 minutes.


Remove the ham hocks when browned and temporarily set them aside in a warm, sanitary spot.
 Add the chopped onions to the hot oil and sprinkle with ground black pepper, to taste. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.


When done, the onions should look translucent and smell even more fragrant.
If you do not know how much pepper to use, start with a small amount like 1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) rather than a larger one.
 Stir the soaked and drained beans into the Dutch oven, along with the bay leaf. Add more pepper, if desired. Sauté for another 1 minute.
 Place the ham hocks back into the Dutch oven and fill with 5 cups (1250 ml) water. Bring to a boil.
 After the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer, covered, until the meat falls off the bones and the beans take on a creamy consistency.


Remove the bay leaf when done.
Note that if you would prefer a simpler version of this recipe, you could add all the ingredients into a slow cooker as soon as you finish soaking and draining the beans. Cover and cook for 8 hours on high., Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and serve while still warm.


This meal is typically served like a soup, but you can also use a slotted spoon to lift out the meat and beans, only.
Soak the beans.
Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven.
Sear the ham hocks.
Sauté the onions.
Add the beans and bay leaf.
Return the ham hocks and add the water.
Simmer for 2 hours.
Serve warm.
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