a classic bowl of Southern-style navy beans with ham and cornbread 🤍🌽
Here’s a full, from-scratch recipe:
Southern Navy Beans with Ham
🛒 Ingredients
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1 lb dried navy beans
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6 cups water (plus more for soaking)
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1 meaty ham hock or 1½ cups diced cooked ham
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1 small onion, finely chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tbsp butter or oil
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½ tsp black pepper
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½–1 tsp salt (add at end, to taste)
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Optional: ½ tsp smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne
🥣 Instructions
1️⃣ Soak the Beans
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Rinse and sort beans.
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Cover with water and soak overnight (8–12 hours).
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Drain and rinse before cooking.
(Quick soak option: Boil beans 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 1 hour. Drain.)
2️⃣ Cook the Beans
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In a large pot, add soaked beans, 6 cups fresh water, and ham hock (if using).
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Bring to a boil, then reduce to low.
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Simmer covered for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3️⃣ Add Flavor
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In a small pan, sauté onion in butter until soft (about 5 minutes).
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Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
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Stir into beans.
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If using diced ham instead of ham hock, add it now.
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Simmer another 30–45 minutes until beans are creamy.
4️⃣ Finish
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Remove ham hock, shred meat, and return to pot.
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Add salt and pepper to taste.
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For thicker beans: mash a small scoop and stir back in.
Serve hot with cornbread on the side (or right in the bowl like your picture!).
Southern Cornbread
🛒 Ingredients
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1 cup cornmeal
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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1 tbsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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2 tbsp sugar (optional, Southern-style usually skips it)
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1 cup milk
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2 eggs
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¼ cup melted butter or oil
🥣 Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Grease an 8-inch pan or cast iron skillet.
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Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
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Whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter in another.
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Combine just until mixed (don’t over-stir).
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Pour into pan and bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
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Let cool slightly before slicing.
🔥 Optional Add-Ins
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Shredded cheddar
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Jalapeños
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Extra crispy bacon bits
If you’d like, I can also give you:
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A slow cooker version
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An Instant Pot version
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A super creamy “old-school” Southern stovetop method
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Or a smaller batch recipe
Just tell me which one you prefer 😊