The Appalachian comfort plate of slow-simmered pinto beans with country ham and a skillet of buttermilk cornbread, the most-resilient East Tennessee.

Pinto beans and cornbread is the foundational Appalachian working-class meal: protein, starch, salt and pork fat from the smokehouse, all in one pot, with the cornbread cracklin'd in a hot cast-iron skillet greased with bacon drippings. Sunspot on Cumberland Avenue, Litton's in Fountain City and Pete's downtown all run pinto-bean plates on the regular menu, the East Tennessee canon of the dish kept close to the country original.

Where to eat Pinto Beans and Cornbread in Knoxville

3 editor picks for Pinto Beans and Cornbread in Knoxville, ranked by editorial score. All Knoxville signature dishes · Pinto Beans and Cornbread across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 62 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 ham hock or 4 oz country ham trim
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter

Method

  1. Soak the pinto beans in cold water overnight. Drain.
  2. Combine the beans, ham hock, onion, garlic and 6 cups water in a heavy pot.
  3. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat 90 minutes until the beans are tender.
  4. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking uncovered to thicken the liquid, 15 more minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 F. Put a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with the bacon drippings in the oven to heat.
  6. Whisk cornmeal, baking soda, buttermilk and egg in a bowl until just combined.
  7. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden and a tester comes out clean.
  8. Serve bowls of beans with wedges of warm cornbread.

Editor tip. The hot cast-iron skillet is essential for the cornbread crust. Don't skip preheating it with the fat.

Common allergens: Dairy, Eggs.