Crock Pot Great Northern Beans – Southern style! Hearty, delicious, and wonderful served with Southern cornbread.
Dry beans, a ham hock, and a few simple vegetables create a rich, comforting pot of beans your family will love. This slow-cooker version is effortless to prepare and develops deep flavor after hours of gentle cooking.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to prepare
- Minimal hands-on time
- Family friendly and filling
What are Great Northern Beans?
Great Northern beans are a medium-to-large white bean with a mild, creamy flavor. They hold their shape better than navy beans during long cooking and pair beautifully with ham and vegetables. You can substitute navy or cannellini beans if needed.
What You’ll Need
- 2 pounds dry great northern beans
- 6 cups water (adjust to cover beans in your slow cooker)
- 1 to 1½ pounds ham hock (or 2 cups cooked ham pieces)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large carrot, sliced or chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, sliced or chopped
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
How to Make
Place the beans, water, ham hock, carrot, celery, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) into a large slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
Cook on High for 4–5 hours or on Low for 7–8 hours, until the beans are tender and the flavors are well developed.
When done, remove the ham hock and let it cool slightly. Pull the meat from the bone, chop or shred it, and return it to the slow cooker.
Taste and add salt as needed (the ham hock can be quite salty, so season carefully). Serve hot with cornbread or biscuits.
Expert Cooking Tips
Soaking the beans for 12–24 hours shortens cooking time and can improve digestibility. After soaking, rinse the beans well.
During cooking, foam may form on the surface. Skimming it off is optional but can improve clarity and reduce some gas-producing compounds.
If you don’t have a ham hock, use about 2 cups of cooked ham to add smoky, savory flavor. There’s no need to add broth—the ham will flavor the cooking liquid; plain water works fine.
Because ham hocks vary in saltiness, wait until the end to add additional salt. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
More Bean Recipes to Love
Ham and Bean Crockpot Soup (using leftover ham)
Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hock
Southern Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Recipe
Crock Pot Great Northern Beans – Southern Style with Ham
A simple slow-cooker pot of great northern beans flavored with ham hock and vegetables — comforting Southern-style home cooking.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds great northern beans, dry
- 6 cups water (or enough to cover beans in the slow cooker)
- 1–1½ pounds ham hock (or 2 cups cooked ham pieces)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large carrot, sliced or chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, sliced or chopped
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cook on High for 4–5 hours or on Low for 7–8 hours, until beans are tender.
- Remove the ham hock, let it cool slightly, then remove the meat from the bone and return it to the slow cooker.
- Stir, taste, and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot with cornbread or biscuits.
Nutrition (per serving)
Carbohydrates: 96 g |
Protein: 58 g |
Fat: 22 g |
Saturated Fat: 8 g |
Cholesterol: 95 mg |
Sodium: 260 mg |
Potassium: 2456 mg |
Fiber: 31 g |
Sugar: 4 g