As the weather begins to cool down and the holidays approach, it’s even more tempting to reach for recipes that you know will satisfy your family and friends. Big pot cooking for a crowd with Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans is a great way to serve your loved ones hearty meals that will have them coming back for a second helping (and maybe even a third).
Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans are related to navy beans and the larger cannellini bean, and have a delicate and nutty flavor. While they maintain a wonderful texture for soups and stews, they are quite versatile, and they work just as well blended into a dip. Great Northern beans are an excellent source of iron, potassium, and protein. Best of all, they are grown to the Camellia Brand’s “Hayward Standard,” a benchmark that exceeds the top USDA requirements for quality.
Whether it is a casual Sunday supper or part of a family gathering, cooking up a big pot of White Beans with Tasso and Ham will delight eyes and taste buds alike. The striking ham bone and assertive (but not overwhelming) flavors from the Cajun spice and smoky tasso help make this dish stand out. To emphasize the smooth, creamy texture of the Camellia Brand Great Northern beans, we mash some at the end with a wooden spoon. The more beans you mash, the thicker the dish will become.
Since great Northern beans are related to the navy bean and cannellini bean, either of those can be substituted here. We prefer to soak our Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans overnight, but you can get very good results with a quick soak. (Cover the beans with an inch of water in a large skillet, and bring them to a boil. Cook them for a few minutes, turn off heat, and let the beans stand for 1 hour. Drain before cooking).
Get ready for a delicious winter by cooking up a big pot of these White Beans with Tasso and Ham.
- 1 pound dried Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ½ pound tasso ham, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Ham bone
- In a large Dutch oven, add beans and water to cover by 2 inches. Let stand for 8 hours. Drain.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add tasso and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove tasso, and set aside. To Dutch oven, add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook for 1 minute, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Add reserved beans, broth, reserved tasso, hot sauce, bay leaf, and Cajun seasoning, stirring to combine. Add ham bone and just enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 2 hours, For creamier beans, mash 1 to 1½ cups of beans with the back of a wooden spoon. Remove bay leaf before serving.
