Brown Beans - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 cups reduced-salt chicken broth
1 3/4 pounds ham hock
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste

Preparation

Pick over the beans, rinse them, and place them in a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover by 3 or 4 inches. Allow the beans to soak overnight.
The next day, drain and rinse the beans, and place them in a large pot. Stir in the chicken broth, ham hock, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer the beans over low heat for 4 hours, adding water occasionally if needed to keep the soupy consistency. Remove the ham hock before serving.