Pinto Bean And Ham Hock Stew

• 1 (1 lb) bag pinto beans
• 10 baby carrots, chopped in half
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 1 (8 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced onion

1. Soak beans overnight in water.
2. Drain and pick out all bad beans or particles.
3. Place beans in a stock pot with 4 cups of water.
4. Add ham hocks and bring to a boil.
5. Let beans and ham hocks boil for about 10 minutes and then turn down heat to medium.
6. Add carrots, garlic, tomatoes, onion and celery.
7. Cook for 4 hours on medium.
8. By this time the ham hocks should be tender enough to take the meat off of the bone.
9. Cut meat into little pieces the size of peas and return meat to soup.
10. Discard bones.
11. Add salt and pepper by measurement or to taste.
12. Cook an additional 30 minutes to an hour to ensure the softness of beans.
13. Enjoy!

pinto beans, baby carrots, stalks celery, garlic, salt, pepper, ham hocks, tomatoes, onion

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/pinto-bean-and-ham-hock-stew-103747 (may not work)