Starting the Year off Right with an Instant Pot of Beans

This year, Hubby gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas. I gotta tell you, I had real mixed emotions when I opened that gift. Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled to get something new to cook with. But at the same time, I was leary. I’ve never used a pressure cooker of any kind.

For the first few days following Christmas, I surfed the internet reading anything and everything about Instant Pots, pressure cookers and recipes. I wanted to make sure I understood what the pot could and could not do. Although I gotta tell you, there’s very little my fully programmable 8-quart Instant Pot can’t do.

A usual tradition in our house on New Year’s Day is to cook up a big pot of beans seasoned with meat from our Christmas Ham. Now I say “usual” because in recent years I had forgone the Ham and Bean tradition for New Year’s Day Chili Beans. We didn’t always have the ham bone needed, but I still wanted to honor old ways. However; lately I’ve gone back to making a Ham for Christmas; even if it’s served up the day after Christmas. It seems that the older I get, the more I want those old traditions in my life.

On New Year’s Eve, just before making the drive up to the farm to be with family, I put a pot of beans on the stove for an overnight soak. The next day, I realized here was my chance to start off the New Year, heck the New Decade off with a new way of making our traditional beans. It was one of those cross your fingers and hope for the best kind of moments.

Oh my! The flavor was amazing. The ham bone was so clean, I saved it to show my guys what the Instant Pot had done. I am so in love with this pot. You can bet I’ll be sharing new recipes from now on.

Instant Pot Ham Bone and Beans
1 cup Pinto Beans, dry
1 cup Pink Beans, dry
1/2 Yellow Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 1/2 cups Water
1 Ham Bone with meat
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/2 tablespoon Ground Cumin

Pick through beans to discard any stones, then rinse with cold water to remove any dirt. Place beans in a large pot and cover with cold water. Sprinkle with a little salt and let the beans soak overnight. The beans are fine soaking until you are ready to start cooking.

Place the beans in a colander. Rinse well under cold water. Set aside to fully drain.

Peel half an onion, roughly chop. Set aside. Peel garlic, smash with the end of a knife and set aside.

Empty the beans into the Instant Pot. Add the liquids, ham bone and seasonings.

Lock the lid on pot, set for High Pressure (custom) for 20 minutes. Let pressure valve release naturally, about 20 minutes longer. Depending upon how long it takes your pot to pre-heat, the total time is about 45 minutes.

Carefully open the lid of the pressure cooker. Remove the pot to the counter. Remove the ham bone from pot along with any large hunks of meat. Pick off any meat still on the bone. Break apart into small pieces or shred, then add back into the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Ladle the ham and beans into soup bowls. Serve with warm corn bread and plenty of butter.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen