Chili Beans

These oven-braised chili beans start with dried black beans and black-eyed peas soaked overnight, then cooked low and slow with a ham hock in chicken broth. The ham hock adds smoky, porky richness to every bean without needing a pile of extra seasonings.

The oven does the work here. At 275°F (135°C), the beans simmer gently and evenly, which prevents the splitting and mushiness you often get from stovetop cooking. Check them every 30 minutes and add more stock if the liquid has been absorbed. After about 1 ½ hours, you’ve got tender, creamy beans in a thick, smoky pot liquor.

These are built to be versatile. Eat them straight as a side dish with cornbread, or stir them into a chili base where they add body, protein, and that ham hock flavor throughout.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the overnight soak. Unsoaked beans take much longer to cook and often cook unevenly, with some splitting before others are tender.
• Use low-sodium chicken broth if the ham hock is salty. You can always add salt at the end, but you can’t take it away.
• Pull the ham hock out when the beans are done, shred any meat off the bone, and stir it back in.

Variations

• Add a diced onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and a teaspoon of cumin to the pot for a more seasoned version.
• Swap chicken broth for beer (a dark lager works well) for a deeper, maltier flavor.
• Use pinto beans instead of black beans for a more traditional Southwestern chili bean.