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Southern Pole Beans

Source of Recipe


From "Beans, Greens and Sweet Georgia Peaches"






List of Ingredients



• 3 pounds pole beans
  
• 1 country ham hock or 1/2 pound country ham in one piece
  
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 small sweet onion, preferably Vidalia (optional)
  
• Pepper Vinegar (optional; recipe follows)
  






Instructions



1. Wash the beans thoroughly in cold water and drain them. Have ready a fresh basin of cool water. Top and tail the beans and strip off the woody "strings" that run down the seams of the pods. Be careful to remove all traces of these strings -- they won't ever get tender. Break or cut the beans into 1-inch lengths and drop them into the water.
   
   
2. Put the ham hock or ham in a heavy-bottomed kettle that will hold all the beans comfortably, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook, turning frequently, until it has thrown off most of its fat. Add the onion and sauté until it is golden but not scorched, about 5 minutes. Add about a pint of water and let it come to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid back to a rolling boil. Add the pole beans, let the water again come back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Loosely cover the pot and let the beans simmer for at least 1-1/2 hours (longer won't hurt), until the beans are very tender. At this point, there should be very little liquid left. However, if there is, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and been absorbed, stirring often to prevent scorching. Pour the beans into a warm vegetable dish. The beans are often served with condiments of chopped raw onion and pickled hot peppers. If this appeals to you, peel and chop a small sweet onion and pass it and the pepper vinegar separately.
   
   Serves 4 to 6
   
   ..........
   
   PEPPER VINEGAR
   
   • 6 ounces whole fresh peppers (see Note)
   • About 1 cup cider vinegar
   
   Sterilize a pint jar by boiling it in a water bath for 10 minutes. Wash the peppers well and dry them. Making sure that your hands are very clean, pack the peppers in the jar.
   
   In a stainless or nonreactive pan, bring the vinegar to a boil. While it is still boiling hot, pour it over the peppers until they are completely covered. Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dark place (the refrigerator is okay) for 2 to 4 weeks before using. Use the peppers within 2 months.
   
   For more prolonged storage, process the jar in a water bath for 10 minutes. Place the jar on a folded cloth so it doesn't touch anything, and let it cool completely. If it doesn't seal, re-process it.
   
   Makes 1 pint.
   
   
   NOTE:
   You can use any green or red hot peppers to make pepper vinegar. Cayenne, tiny round bird peppers, and jalapeños are the most popular in the South. Each has its own distinct character, and some are much hotter than others, so take this into account when you are adding the peppers or the pepper vinegar to a recipe.