Jay's Brown Beans

BROWN BEANS

INGREDIENTS:

/ /  1 pound dry pinto beans
/ /  8 cups water
/ /  1 hickory-smoked ham hock or hickory-smoked turkey leg
/ /  1 large onion, chopped
/ /  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin seed
/ /  1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
/ /  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
/ /  1 Tablespoon tomato paste
/ /  2-4 dashes cayenne pepper sauce
/ /   juice of 1 lemon

PROCESS:

1. Soak the beans overnight; pour out the soaking water, rinse beans.

2. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the beans, water, the ham hock or turkey leg, onion, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook for three minutes; then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for one hour.

3. Return the pot to the heat, stir in tomato paste, and simmer for at least 3 hours.  Simmer longer for a thicker broth.  (I simmer the beans in a cast-iron Dutch oven on very low heat for more-or-less 5 hours.)

4. Near the end of your simmering time, remove the ham hock or turkey leg from the broth and set on a plate to cool. Add cayenne pepper sauce and lemon juice to the broth, which continues to simmer at lowest heat.  When the ham hock or turkey leg has cooled sufficiently, remove the meat from the bone and return the meat to the pot.

Serve with cornbread (see separate recipe).