My grandmother fed a table of 6 on about $8 of groceries with this warm supper. We never had leftovers.

There are some suppers that stretch a dollar better than anything else, and a pot of ham and beans is one of them. This slow cooker 4-ingredient ham ashby is the kind of plain, hearty meal that filled Midwestern kitchens for generations, built from pantry staples and a little bit of thrift. It cooks low and slow into a rich, warming bowlful with tender ham and creamy beans, the sort of supper that tastes even better because it asks so little of the cook.

Serve this with hot cornbread, buttered biscuits, or thick slices of sandwich bread for sopping up the broth. A simple side of fried potatoes, cooked cabbage, or a little dish of chopped onion and pickle on the table fits right in if you want to round it out the old-fashioned way.

Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Ham Ashby

Servings: 6

Slow cooker ham and beans in a black insert with a ladle lifting a scoop

Ingredients

1 pound dried great northern beans, rinsed and picked over
1 meaty ham bone or 2 to 3 cups chopped cooked ham
1 medium onion, chopped
8 cups water

Directions

1. Rinse the beans well and pick through them for any little stones or damaged beans. Add the beans to the slow cooker along with the ham bone or chopped ham, chopped onion, and water.

Beans, ham, onion, and water added to a slow cooker

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are tender and the broth has turned rich and flavorful.

Ham and beans simmered until tender in the slow cooker

3. Remove the ham bone, cut off any good meat, and return the meat to the slow cooker. Discard the bone and stir the pot well.

Cooked ham removed from the bone and stirred back into the beans

4. Taste and serve hot. If you like a thicker pot, mash a spoonful or two of beans against the side and stir them back into the broth before serving.

Final plated bowl of ham and beans served with bread

Variations & Tips

Salt caution: Ham can vary a lot in saltiness, so hold off on adding extra salt until the very end. Taste first, then season only if it truly needs it.

Bean texture: If your beans are older, they may need the full 10 hours or a little longer. Keeping the lid on as much as possible helps them soften properly.

A little extra flavor: If you have it on hand, a pinch of black pepper, a bay leaf, or a clove of minced garlic can be added without changing the spirit of this humble dish.

Make it heartier: Stir in diced potatoes during the last 2 to 3 hours of cooking if you want to make the meal go even farther and feed a few extra folks.

Different bean option: Navy beans work just as well here and give you the same creamy, old-fashioned result. Use whichever dried white bean is most affordable at your store.