Step 1

Rinse and sort the beans, getting rid of any broken pieces. Place in a stockpot or Dutch oven and cover with 1-inch of water. Bring to a boil. Place lid on pot and remove from heat. Let sit 1 hour.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat bacon fat over medium heat.

Step 3

Add onion, celery, and carrots and saute until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add ham, ham hocks, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Step 5

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.

Step 6

Once beans have been sitting for an hour, drain them.

Step 7

Add beans, butter, and Cajun or Creole seasoning to the chicken broth mixture after it has simmered for 1 hour. Continue to simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. If liquid level gets too low (ie not all the beans are submerged), add more water.

Step 8

Remove ham hocks. Let cool slightly and then remove any meat from the bone, chop it up and return it to the pot.

Step 9

Serve as is for a side dish or serve over rice with a side of cornbread for a main dish.