Instructions
Rinse and sort beans, place into pot.
Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic, thyme, basil and pepper and stir.
Add the stock or broth, water, chicken base, ham (and ham bone, ham hocks or smoked turkey wings, if using), butter or bacon fat and bay leaves.
Seal and set for high 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
Open, remove bay leaves and discard, add parsley, taste, adding salt and/or Cajun seasoning or cayenne, only as needed, to taste.
Thicken, if desired as noted below.
Serve over hot cooked rice with a side of cast iron skillet cornbread.
Notes
If you have a large meaty ham bone, you may leave out the additional ham or substitute bacon if you don’t have any leftover ham. Just chop up and sauté first, until lightly browned. You can drain off or sauté the veggies in the drippings. May also use only water rather than a mix of stock/broth and water.
To thicken beans quickly, cancel and set pot to sauté. When mixture begins to boil, sprinkle in some Wondra flour, or a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with enough cool water to blend. May also remove about 1/2 cup of beans, including liquid, and mash, returning to pot. Continue cooking beans to desired consistency.
Instant Pot Rice: Prepare rice by adding 2-1/4 cups water, 2 cups long grain rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to cooker. Stir, add 1 tablespoon butter, seal and set on high for 6 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, then transfer rice to a lidded storage container; cover and set aside. Wash and rinse pot if needed to prepare beans.
