Salvaging Salty Ham & Beans from Instant Pot – Can I Make Ham Broth and Is There a Ham Bouillon Alternative?

[pres]

@faithfilled27 Thank you for your help. Sounds much better than so many icky seasonings.

 

[mara1]

@pres I myself personally I don’t like to add all that seasoning to my beans. I throw the beans and the ham hock, or just plain ham in the pot with broth and water and let it do its own thing. I do like to add a little bit of carrots, and celery cut really small, and my favorite bean for this is a little northern beans.

 

[castellano]

Yes, Better Than Bouillon has a ham flavor.

 

[pres]

@castellano Thsnk you. I’ll look for it. Hopefully in Dillon’s or Walmart.

 

[stryker7200]

@pres look for a low sodium version. Better than Bullion is great but very salty.

 

[castellano]

@stryker7200 The only place I have seen any of them that were low sodium is at Costco. And I have only seen chicken, beef, and vegetable there.

 

[castellano]

I cook my great northern beans with chopped onion, ham pieces (I usually use “Anytime Ham” cubes or get one of their steaks and cut it up. I think Hormel is the brand), water and salt.

 

[pres]

@castellano I haven’t heard of “Anytime Ham” cubes. Sounds interesting. I did add 1/2 of a ham steak cut into cubes which probably added to the over salty problem.

 

[castellano]

@pres The chicken broth probably did, too.
I used to use ham hocks and I still like them, but they have gotten terribly expensive. So now I just use a ham whose flavor I like.

 

[hanspeter]

I would do exactly what you suggested and save the beans to make what you described.

 

[familyguyfan84]

Best pot of pintos ever....pit lg piece left over ham bone in my 10 qt with almost 2 pounds of dry beans...50 minutes and npr about 30 minutes. No spices...extra water almost to cut-off line for soupier beans...delicious!!

 

[jarvis75]

We do chicken bullion for any white bean and then I just cut up a ham steak. No salt added because ethe steak and bullion serves for the sodium. Then just a sprinkle of what ever seasoning you like.
With brown beans we do beef bullion and a couple bone in pork chops.

 

[adebayo]

Salt is used to cure ham. Don't add more salt.

 

[knotlikeyou]

I don't know if there is ham flavored BTB... But I got split pea & ham soup too salty just from ham and had to cook 2 large diced potatoes in it to pull out the salt. It works, the potato soaks up the salt. The soup has diced carrots, celery, onion and garlic in it with a ham joint left over from Christmas dinner. Then I just mashed the potato in with the pea soup using a potato masher.... Actually turned out very good!!!!

 

[t_wheeler]

Every time we barbecue brisket, I keep the “burnt ends” and carved off scraps and fat for when I make beans. I just freeze the scraps in a well-marked ziploc bag.
I do the same when I make any bone-in ham or pork, even small amounts. They accumulate in the freezer. Then when I have enough for beans, I throw them all into the pot.

 

[noelle21]

There is Ham better than bullion. You won't need your ham hock bones

 

[tusolussanctus]

Yes there is ham better then bouillon BUT that's very salty

 

[godrocksyay]

Old school kitchen hack, put potato in it, it will remove the saltiness.

 

[jaflores]

Better than Bullion does have ham flavor and it's great to use when cooking beans!

 

[tifernie]

Some better than bouillon flavors come in low sodium form. I’ve seen ham flavor, but didn’t notice if it was low sodium. Look for it! I love the low sodium organic chicken better than boullion. All the flavor without so much salt.