Comforting as a side dish or entrée, a piping hot bowl of soup beans – that have cooked all day long, of course – is a traditional Kentucky favorite. You’ll find this version served at Chef Ouita Michel’s Wallace Station Deli and Windy Corner Market restaurants in the greater Lexington area.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried pinto beans
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 5-6 ozs. boneless country ham, diced
• 1½ Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Preparation

1. Pick pinto beans for pebbles, rinse until clean and place in 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover with cold water and soak for 5-6 hours, then drain.
2. Return to the pot, cover beans with about 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down to a slow simmer until the beans change color and are slightly softened, but not mushy, about 2 hours.  
4. Adjust seasoning to taste, if necessary, and serve with Wallace Station Buttermilk Cornbread (recipe below).

Recipe provided by:
Chef Ouita Michel/Ouita Michel Family Restaurants (Lexington-Midway-Versailles, KY)