Pinto Beans with smoked ham

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017495-simple-pinto-beans-with-bacon

Pinto beans are emblematic of the Old West — good cheap hearty fare. These plain ones are good with just about anything or as a meal in a tin plate, cowboy-style, with a chunk of cornbread. For the best tasting beans, cook at a bare simmer, and keep the liquid level just 1 inch above the beans’ surface as they cook.

Featured in:         Pinto Beans And Bacon: The Quintessential Cowboy Meal.  


1  pound pinto beans            
1  small onion, halved            
1  bay leaf            
1  ¾ pound slab bacon            
1  tablespoon kosher salt   1. Step 
1  tablespoon paprika            
1  ¼ teaspoon cayenne
   
   Pick over the beans for small rocks or debris. Rinse well, then cover with cold water and soak for 6 hours or overnight.
                  
1. Step 
   
   Transfer beans to a soup pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Add onion, bay leaf and bacon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, partly cover pot with lid, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
                  
1. Step 
   
   Stir in salt, paprika and cayenne, then continue simmering until beans are soft and creamy and the broth is well seasoned and lightly thickened, about 1 hour more. Remove bacon and chop roughly, then return to pot. (Dish may be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)