Dry pinto beans are used for the recipe. Most pinto beans have a tan or cream color along with reddish splotches. Pinto means painted or spotted and refers to the way the beans look.
Pork ham hocks aren’t very meaty - always look for the meatiest one. It’s pork knuckle, where the foot was attached to the hog’s leg and is mostly fat and bone.
Cook time vary based on how you like to serve your beans. Typically anywhere from 1 1/2 hours – 3 hours depending on your texture preference. Soft beans that aren’t mushy take about 2 hours.