Cornbread and Beans

Name: Cornbread and Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 lb smoked ham shank; 6 cups chicken broth; 1 cup yellow cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 cup buttermilk; 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Smoky, slow-simmered pinto beans served alongside golden, crisp-edged buttermilk cornbread for a classic hearty meal.

140 minMediumServes 6480 cal/serving

AmericanDinnerStovetop and OvenHigh FiberStandardNut-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-Free

Ingredients

2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 yellow onion, diced
1 lb smoked ham shank
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1

In a large pot, combine 2 cups soaked overnight dried pinto beans, 1 diced yellow onion, 1 lb smoked ham shank, and 6 cups chicken broth.
2

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes until dried pinto beans are soft and smoked ham shank reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
3

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet.
4

Whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 2 tsp baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
5

Stir in 1 cup buttermilk and 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter until just combined, then pour batter into the skillet.
6

Bake cornbread for 20 minutes until golden, then serve warm with simmered dried pinto beans.

Questions

Can I make Cornbread and Beans dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1 cup buttermilk, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted. Swap the buttermilk for plant milk soured with a teaspoon of vinegar per cup; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Cornbread and Beans gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Cornbread and Beans keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Cornbread and Beans?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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