Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans

My Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans are a New Year’s Day tradition in my family—they’re said to bring good luck!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all got to ring in the New Year in “style!”  We sipped our Champagne Sangria while playing Busy, Busy Airport with the boys, carrying on my family’s NYE game night tradition.  On New Year’s Day we carried on another one of my family’s traditions—we ate my Grandpa Joel’s Ham Hocks and Beans for dinner—vegan style, of course!  My Grandpa Joel (David’s namesake—”David Joel”) was born in 1919 in the deep south, on the Louisiana/Mississippi border, and spent his childhood living in rural Bogue Chitto, Mississippi.  As a young man he moved west to take part in President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corp—an effort to bring employment to young men and families during the Great Depression.  He later married my Grandma Henrietta, my mom was born (!), and spent time as a member of the United States Marines, serving in Korea after the war as a supply chief.

^^^ Grandpa with my mom

^^^ My Grandma Henrietta, mom, and Grandpa Joel, circa 1959

When Irving and I got married my mom compiled an album of family recipes, complete with pictures and stories about each one.  I’m working my way through, veganizing old favorites and bringing new life to them, while telling their stories to the boys.  I’m so sad that I never met my mom’s parents, but am thankful that I can carry on their memories as I pass down these family recipes, sharing them with my kids, friends, and you!

Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans

On to the beans!  In the south it’s traditional to serve beans for the new year to bring you good luck.  My Grandpa Joel’s beans, sometimes known as Senate Bean Soup, got their smokey flavor from a ham hock (you don’t even want to google it), which my friend Becky jokes is used like a spice down in the south.  Luckily a little bit of liquid smoke and smoked paprika mimic the taste perfectly, while cutting out the middle man, er, pig.

The fixin’s

Other must haves in these amazing beans—the condiments.  We always top our beans with:

• white onions—always raw
• cornbread—crumbled
• chopped up sweet gherkin pickles, or cornichons if you’re fancy
• pickle juice.  I know.  I hear it.  Just trust me on this one.

Other Veganized Family Favorites

• Grandma Henrietta’s Bourbon Balls
• Aunt Vegan Betty’s Apple Pie
• Stuffed Squash with Curried Lentils—my Mom’s recipe
• Taco Soup—my Mom’s recipe
• Bok Choy Salad—my Mom’s recipe
• Sugar and Spice Cookies—my Mom’s recipe
• Cranberry Relish—my Dad’s recipe
• Grandpa’s Potato Pancakes

You Might Like…

I hope you love my Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans—for my family it wouldn’t be January 1st without them!  And while they are a New Year’s Day staple for us, they are delicious all year round.  Be sure to take a picture of these when you make them and tag me so that I can see!  {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions}

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Grandpa Joel’s Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans

My Grandpa Joel's Vegan Ham Hocks and Beans are a New Year's Day tradition in my family—they're said to bring good luck!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Sarah De la Cruz

Ingredients

For the Beans:

• 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 cup carrots small dice
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounces
• 2 cans navy beans small white beans, alternately use black eyed peas

For the Condiments

• 1 package of cornbread prepared according to package instructions (I use Ener-G egg replacer, dairy free butter, and plant milk, and add 1 cup of frozen corn kernels)
• 1 small white onion small dice
• 1 jar sweet gherkin cornichon pickles (reserve juice for serving, and dice pickles)

Instructions

To prepare the beans:

• Heat the oil over medium in a large pot.
• Add the onions and carrots and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and allow to cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the liquid smoke, smoked paprika, mustard, sugar, molasses, bay leaves, and salt, and stir well.
• Add the tomatoes and beans.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, covered, until the carrots are fork tender.

To serve:

• Ladle a big scoop of beans in each person's bowl.
• Set out bowls of pickles, onion, and pickle juice, as well as cornbread.
• Allow each person to crumble cornbread on top, followed by onions, pickles, and about 1 tablespoon of pickle juice.
• Enjoy!

Notes

We typically prepare a double portion of this recipe, often starting with 1 pound of dry beans, and then preparing them before proceeding with the recipe above. The quantities above should be enough to serve 4 adults for dinner.

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