Summer Black Beans

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over

10 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

1 orange, rinsed and sliced in half (will be using juice)

1 ham bone or smoked ham hock

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce, if desired

Preparation

In a large pot over high heat, place the beans and enough water to cover them by 4 inches. Add the garlic and onion. Squeeze the juice from the orange halves into the pot and then throw in the oranges, ham hock and olive oil into the pot also. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are completely tender. If the beans seem dry and start to show too much on top, add more water (a cup or so).

Remove the oranges and ham hock. Roughly chop the ham meat still on the bone and return the meat to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and stir for 10 minutes, adding the garlic powder, onion powder, and then salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.