Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450g) dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 6 cups (1.4L) water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (8 oz / 225g) smoked ham hock
  • 1 medium (110g) yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves (12g) garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (6g) kosher salt
  • ½ tsp (2g) black pepper
  • 1 tsp (2g) smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp (1g) ground cumin

Instructions:

  1. Spread the dry pinto beans on a baking sheet. Pick through them to remove any small stones or shriveled beans, then rinse thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. Place the rinsed beans, water or broth, ham hock, diced onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker.
  3. Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper. If using a very salty ham hock, reserve half of the kosher salt until the end of the cooking process.
  4. Set the slow cooker to Low and cook for 7 to 9 hours.
  5. At the 8-hour mark, taste a bean to ensure it is buttery and soft. If the broth is too thin, use the back of a spoon to mash about ¼ cup of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the liquid to naturally thicken.