Ham Beans With Dumplings Recipes

BASIC HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the beans, sorting out any broken or discolored ones. In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the beans and remove from heat. Let beans sit in the hot water for at least 60 minutes.
• After the 60 minutes of soaking, return the pot to high heat and place the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard and bay leaves in the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 60 more minutes.
• Remove ham bone and discard. Stir in the chopped ham and simmer for 30 more minutes. Season with ground white pepper to taste.

HAM AND BEANS AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Place rinsed and picked over beans that have been soaked overnight in fridge, then rinsed and drained again into a large soup pot.
• 2. Add cleaned and cut vegetables to soup pot; add ham bone and enough *water to cover beans and ham. Add bay leaf, garlic, pepper, onion powder and parsley flakes.
• 3. On medium-high heat bring beans up to a boil, place lid on beans and turn down until just simmering. Cook until meat on bone and beans are tender. Cook time above shows 3 hrs. but I like to simmer about 5 hrs. to get a better tasting broth.
• 4. When cooked to desired doneness; remove bay leaf, remove ham bone and set aside until cool enough to handle. If needed add more water to pot before dropping the biscuits. (I usually add 2 cups of water, you want enough liquid for the dumplings to cook in)
• 5. While bringing bean pot back to a rolling boil, open canned biscuits, seperate and quarter each biscuit. Once broth is boiling, drop biscuit quarters into boiling broth. Place tight fitting lid on pot, lower heat but keep broth bubbling. Do not lift or remove lid for 20 minutes. (dumplings will sit on top of the broth the whole time they are cooking)
• 6. While dumplings are cooking, remove ham from bone. After 20 minutes, remove lid and add ham back into pot and heat through. Dumplings will be sitting on top of the broth. Just push them down into the broth and keep on low until ready to serve. (They will sink into the broth)
• 7. You now have Ham and Beans and Dumplings. Serve with chopped fresh onion on the side and steaming hot cornbread with butter and honey. Enjoy!
• 8. Notes: If using the large biscuits (such as Grands) cut the biscuits into eights or smaller. I used the large Kroger brand of buttermilk biscuits (not the flakey ones) and cut them in eights. I tasted the dumplings after I took the lid off and they were slightly doughy in the middle. If they are gently pushed down into the broth and allowed to continue to cook on low (without the lid) until ready to serve they will finish cooking through and not be so doughy.

HAM & BEANS WITH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Wash the beans and discard any irregular or discolored ones; add 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight.
• 2. Drain the old water and add 2 quarts fresh cold water into a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Place beans, ham, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf into pot; cover. Simmer on low heat for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Add onion for the last half-hour.
• 3. If using ham bone, remove and cut the meat off; add ham to soup. If using ham steak cubes, leave in soup. Season to taste.
• 4. FOR DUMPLINGS: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Combine milk and vegetable oil separately. Add all at once to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened.
• 5. Turn heat to medium to high under beans and bring them back to a boil. Drop batter from tablespoon atop bubbling beans. Cover tightly; let mixture return to boiling. Reduce heat (don't lift cover); simmer 12 to 15 minutes. Makes about 10 dumplings. Serve with plenty of cornbread.