Ham Hock Bohnen Cornbread

My grandmother used to make this soup on the coldest days of winter, when the kitchen would fog up from the steam rising off the pot. There was something about the smell of that ham hock simmering with beans that made everything feel right in the world. Years later, I found myself standing in my own kitchen on a similar gray afternoon, craving exactly that—the smoky warmth, the creamy beans, the golden cornbread waiting on the side. This recipe is her gift to me, and now it's yours too.

I served this to my neighbor once when his family moved in next door. He came over with his kids looking nervous, and three hours later they were scraping bowls clean and asking for the recipe. That's when I realized this dish does something more than feed you—it makes you belong somewhere. Every time I make it now, I think about that afternoon and how a simple meal bridged the gap between strangers.

Ingredients

• 1 large smoked ham hock (about 1 lb / 450 g): This is the soul of the soup—choose one with good meat on the bone, not just bone and skin, because that's where all the flavor lives.
• 1 lb (450 g) dried white beans, soaked overnight: Soaking isn't just tradition; it cuts the cooking time in half and makes the beans absorb the smoky flavors more deeply.
• 8 cups (2 L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth: Low-sodium lets the ham's natural saltiness shine through without making everything taste like salt.
• 1 large yellow onion, diced: The onion becomes the base everything rests on, so don't skip the sautéing step—that sweetness matters.
• 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, peeled and diced: These three ingredients together (onion, carrot, celery) are what Southern cooks call the holy trinity, and for good reason.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced: Add these after the vegetables soften, or they'll burn and turn bitter on you.
• 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp dried thyme: Bay leaves flavor everything then disappear; thyme adds an earthy note that keeps the soup from tasting one-dimensional.
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika: This gives color and a gentle smokiness that echoes the ham hock without overpowering it.
• 2 tbsp olive oil: Use extra-virgin because it makes a difference in how the vegetables start their journey.
• 1 cup (150 g) yellow cornmeal and 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour: The cornmeal is what makes this cornbread taste like cornbread, not just sweet cake.
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar: Southern cornbread is slightly sweet, but not dessert-sweet; this amount keeps it balanced.
• 1 tbsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt: These lift the cornbread so it's tender inside, golden and crispy at the edges.
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk and 2 large eggs: Whole milk and real eggs make the cornbread rich; don't try to cut corners here.
• 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted: Let it cool slightly before mixing so you don't scramble the eggs, and make sure it's unsalted so you control the seasoning.

Instructions

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Heat the oil and build the base:

Pour olive oil into your Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery all at once. Listen for that gentle sizzle and cook for about five minutes, stirring every now and then, until the vegetables start to soften and release their sweetness. You'll smell the shift happen right before your eyes.

Wake up the garlic:

Add your minced garlic and let it cook for just one minute—this is the one step where timing matters because garlic goes from fragrant to burnt faster than you'd expect. Stir it constantly so every piece gets golden and releases its aroma.

Combine everything and bring to a boil:

Add the drained soaked beans, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the pot. Pour in all eight cups of broth and turn the heat up until the liquid is rolling and bubbling. This is exciting—you're about to make something real.

Simmer low and slow for two hours:

Reduce heat to low, put the lid on, and let time do the work. The beans will soften, the ham hock will fall apart, and the whole kitchen will smell like smoke and comfort. Stir it every thirty minutes or so, not because it needs constant attention but because these moments of checking in remind you that good food takes patience.

Shred the ham and finish the soup:

After two hours, carefully remove the ham hock with tongs and set it on a cutting board to cool slightly. Pick the meat away from the skin and bone, shred it with a fork, and return it to the pot. Discard the bay leaves, then taste and add salt until it tastes right to you.

Simmer uncovered to thicken (optional):

If you like your soup thicker, let it bubble gently uncovered for another ten to fifteen minutes. Stir in fresh parsley just before serving—this bright green is your final flourish.

Preheat and prep the cornbread:

While the soup is simmering away, turn your oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease an eight-inch square baking dish generously with butter or cooking spray. This prevents sticking and creates those crispy edges everyone loves.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Do this step slowly and deliberately—these ingredients need to be distributed evenly so every bite has the right texture.

Mix the wet ingredients separately:

In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and slightly cooled melted butter until everything is combined and smooth. Keep this separate from the dry ingredients.

Combine gently:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just barely combined—this is where so many people go wrong by overmixing. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and actually desirable because they keep the cornbread tender.

Bake until golden:

Pour the batter into your prepared dish and bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until the top is deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool for just a few minutes before slicing so it holds its shape.

Bring it all together:

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a wedge of warm cornbread on the side. This is the moment when all the work becomes worth it.

Merken

My brother once told me this was the only soup that ever made him feel like he was actually home, no matter where he was eating it. That stayed with me because it's true—some foods carry a feeling bigger than themselves. This one does.

When to Make This

This is a cold-weather dish, the kind you make when you want the whole house to smell like dinner for hours. It's perfect for weekends when you have time to let things simmer, or for busy weeknights if you start it in the morning and let it be your slow cooker. I've made it for family gatherings, for friends recovering from hard weeks, for myself on days when I needed to feel held by something warm.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is forgiving enough to bend toward whatever you need. Some people add a dash of liquid smoke if they want more intensity, or swap the ham hock for smoked turkey leg if pork isn't in their world. I've thrown in chopped kale or spinach in the last ten minutes of cooking, and it becomes something fresh and green alongside all that heartiness. The cornbread stays the same because it's perfect as is, but if you like spice, add a pinch of cayenne to the batter.

Make-Ahead and Storage Wisdom

The soup actually tastes better the next day after everything has had time to become friends with each other. Store it in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze it for months—just leave a little room at the top of the container so it can expand. Cornbread is best fresh, but it reheats beautifully wrapped in foil in a warm oven, and it's honestly still good cold the next morning with butter and honey.

• Make the cornbread up to two days ahead and reheat it gently before serving so it stays moist.
• The soup freezes perfectly, so you can make a double batch and have comfort waiting for hard days.
• If you're making this for a crowd, you can soak the beans and do all your vegetable chopping the day before.

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Merken

This soup and cornbread are more than a recipe—they're permission to slow down and feed the people around you with real care. Make it, share it, and watch what happens.

Fragen & Antworten zum Rezept

→ Wie lange sollten die Bohnen vor der Zubereitung eingeweicht werden?

Die Bohnen sollten über Nacht in Wasser eingeweicht werden, mindestens 8 Stunden, damit sie weich und gut verdaulich sind.

→ Kann geräucherter Truthahn als Ersatz für Ham Hock verwendet werden?

Ja, geräucherter Truthahn ist eine gute Alternative, um das Gericht fleischfrei vom Schwein zu gestalten, dabei bleibt der rauchige Geschmack erhalten.

→ Wie wird das Cornbread besonders saftig?

Durch die Kombination von Butter, Eiern und Milch im Teig bleibt das Cornbread feucht und locker nach dem Backen.

→ Welche Gewürze eignen sich, um die Suppe zu aromatisieren?

Thymian, geräucherter Paprika, schwarzer Pfeffer und Lorbeerblätter sind ideal, um der Suppe eine herzhafte und ausgewogene Würze zu verleihen.

→ Kann man zusätzliches Gemüse in der Suppe verwenden?

Ja, Blattgemüse wie Grünkohl oder Spinat kann in den letzten 10 Minuten der Garzeit dazugegeben werden, um Frische und Nährstoffe zu ergänzen.

→ Wie lässt sich die Konsistenz der Suppe anpassen?

Durch längeres Köcheln ohne Deckel wird die Suppe sämiger, Flüssigkeit verdampft und die Aromen konzentrieren sich.