Farmworkers Chile Soup
A legendary Texas farmworkers' bean and ham hock soup from 1906, cooked low and slow with pinto beans and chile powder — served with cornbread and molasses.
Tex-MexPorkIntermediate90 minBy Northstar
Ingredients
Servings
8
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 lb pinto beans
- 2 tbsp chile powder (Gebhardt's preferred), or to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 enough water to cover
Instructions
- 1
Sauté the onions in the oil, adding the ham hocks early enough to brown the outside without burning the onions.
- 2
Add the beans (no need to soak) and enough water to cover beans and hocks by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 1 hour. Do not add salt until beans are tender.
- 3
Add chile powder to taste — add enough to give a rich color and flavor. Continue cooking until beans are tender.
- 4
Remove ham hocks, strip the meat off, and return the meat to the soup.
- 5
Add water to create a soupy consistency. Heat until hot and serve with cornbread, dark molasses, and butter.
Tags
souptex-mexbeanscornbreadhamamericantexaschilehistorical