Pinto Beans with a Kick in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 2 pounds dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
• 2 large jalapeno peppers, stemmed
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 2 smoked ham hocks, or more to taste
• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 (7 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers

Step 1

Place the pinto beans in your slow cooker and adding enough water to cover them. Let them soak for about 3 to 4 hours. While the beans are soaking, pulse the jalapeno peppers and garlic in a food processor until you get a smooth paste.

Step 2

Once the beans have soaked, drain them and put them back in the slow cooker. Stir in the jalapeno-garlic paste, then tuck the ham hocks into the beans. Sprinkle the onions, salt, cayenne, black pepper, and paprika over everything. Lay the bacon and green chiles on top.

Step 3

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for around 10 hours. When it’s done, take out the ham hocks and let them cool a bit before shredding the meat. Stir the shredded ham and any rendered fat back into the beans. This will thicken the liquid and make everything nice and creamy. Keep it warm until you’re ready to dig in.