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There is nothing better than an old fashioned pot of Southern Style white beans and ham served with a piece of buttery cornbread.

I grew up in a house where my mom and dad grew their own food, shot their own meat, fished for dinner and we ate a lot of beans and cornbread growing up.

Fast forward to 26 years of marriage and I am married to a man who loves all those same things, so getting the perfect pot of Southern Style White Beans and ham is important.

This recipe is usually made with a ham bone or ham hock. You can find these for sale in the meat aisle or just ask the butcher if they have any leftovers.

Of course, if you are like me, you save yours from the Christmas ham you had so you can make this delicious pot of beans. You can also make these Everything Bagel Ham and Cheese Sliders.

This budget-friendly meal can feed a family just about all week long. The best part is that it is a low-cost meal that you can make with simple pantry ingredients as well.

How to Make Slow Cooker Southern Style White Beans and Ham

The first thing you need to do for your white beans to turn out like an old southern style grandmas is to soak those beans overnight in the fridge. If you skip this step and go right to cooking your beans, they will not taste all that well.

They will taste like dirt if I am honest. Beans need to be soaked, so in a bowl, add your bag of beans — usually about 16 ounces, and then add 8 cups of water.

Let them soak overnight. In the morning, drain them and then place them in your slow cooker. Cover with water, add your other ingredients and then cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 7-8.

Your beans will turn out so tender and so full of flavor. My momma was the best Southern cook on the planet and her beans are the best in this world. I still have not mastered her recipe (who knows — she probably put lard in them because she put lard in everything!)

But these beans are as close to an old Southern mom's recipe as any. If you do not have white beans on hand (Great Northern Beans), then you can use any dried beans you have on hand. They all pretty much cook the same method.

Can I Make This on the Stovetop instead of a slow cooker?

Yes. I made my latest batch on the stovetop in my dutch oven and they turned out amazing.

After soaking the beans overnight, rinse and drain the beans well. In your dutch oven, cover the beans with water. Add the ham bone and bring it to a boil.

Combine the beans, diced onions, granulated garlic, bay leaves, sugar, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Then, just cover and simmer for 2 hours until beans are tender.

My momma used to serve her white beans and ham with a side of green onions straight out of the garden and a big slab of this Old Fashioned Skillet Cornbread.

If you are a fan of white beans, then you also need to try my White Chicken Chili. It is amazing.