My February Comfort Bowl: Smoked Turkey, Anson Beans, Cornbread, and Chowchow Crunch
February always makes me crave something that feels like it’s been on the stove all afternoon—even when it’s just me sneaking a break between tasks. That’s where this Smoked Turkey & Slow-Simmered Anson Beans Bowl comes from: the thrift and comfort of a bean pot, the perfume of smoked turkey, and a finish of vinegar that wakes the whole thing up.
Growing up in my grandmother’s kitchen in Atlanta, there was always a jar living in the fridge door—chowchow, pepper vinegar, something pickled and proud. When I add these crunchy chowchow-style cabbage pickles, it’s my little nod to her: that tangy cut-through that keeps rich food honest.
What makes this bowl special is the way it moves—slow-simmered soul, quick-lunch logistics. I spoon the beans over a hot wedge of skillet cornbread so it soaks up every smoky drop, then drizzle a slick of peppery oil like I learned in Charleston kitchens.
Make it yours: swap in ham hock or smoked mushrooms, stir in collards at the end, or hit it with a tiny splash of fish sauce for that deep, savory hush.
Featured Recipe
Smoked Turkey & Slow-Simmered Anson Beans Bowl with Skillet Cornbread Wedges and Chowchow-Style Cabbage Pickles
This is my February lunch bowl when I want something that eats like Sunday dinner but moves like weekday lunch: a pot of slow-simmered beans perfumed with smoked turkey, finished bright with vinegar and a slick of peppery oil. I serve it over a hot wedge of skillet cornbread so it soaks up every drop, then I cut through the richness with crunchy chowchow-style cabbage pickles—my nod to the jars that used to live in my grandmother’s fridge door in Atlanta.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Dried Anson beans (or navy/Great Northern)(Picked over and rinsed)
- 1.5 lb Smoked turkey necks or wings(Necks give deeper body; wings are meatier)
- 1 Yellow onion(Diced)
- 2 stalks Celery(Diced)
- 1 Carrot(Diced)
- 6 cloves Garlic(Smashed, then minced)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste(For depth, not “tomato flavor”)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Dried thyme(Or 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika(Optional but lovely)
- 8 cups Water (or low-sodium chicken stock)(Start with water; adjust as needed)
- 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar(Plus more to finish if desired)
- 1 tsp Fish sauce(My modern little “ham hock” cheat; optional but recommended)
- 0 Kosher salt(To taste (salt later, after turkey gives up its seasoning))
- 1 tsp Black pepper(Plus more to serve)
- 1 tbsp Hot sauce(To finish (or to taste))
- 4 cups Collard greens (optional, for a greener bowl)(Thinly sliced; tender leaves are best)
- 0.333 cup Neutral oil (grapeseed/canola)(For pepper oil)
- 1 tsp Crushed red pepper(For pepper oil; adjust heat)
- 1 tbsp Benne seeds (or toasted sesame)(Optional garnish)
- 1 batch Cast-iron skillet cornbread (component below)(Make while beans simmer)
- 1 batch Chowchow-style cabbage pickles (component below)(Quick-pickle while beans simmer)
- 3 cups Green cabbage(for chowchow-style cabbage pickles)
- 2 tbsp Sugar(for chowchow pickles)
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds(for chowchow pickles)
- 1 pinch Turmeric(for chowchow pickles)
- 1 cup Stone-ground cornmeal(for skillet cornbread)
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour(for skillet cornbread)
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder(for skillet cornbread)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda(for skillet cornbread)
- 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk(for skillet cornbread)
- 1 Egg(for skillet cornbread)
- 3 tbsp Melted butter(for skillet cornbread)
- 1 tbsp Bacon fat(optional, for skillet cornbread browning)
Instructions
- 1
Soak the beans (best texture). Cover 1 lb Dried Anson beans (or navy/Great Northern) with plenty of cold water and soak 8–12 hours; drain. If you’re in a hurry, do a quick-soak: cover with water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, turn off, cover 1 hour; drain.
10 min
Tip: Soaking helps them cook evenly and keeps the broth creamy instead of muddy.
- 2
Start the smoked turkey pot. In a heavy pot, combine 1.5 lb Smoked turkey necks or wings, 1 Yellow onion, 2 stalks Celery, 1 Carrot, 6 cloves Garlic, smashed, 1 tbsp Tomato paste, 2 Bay leaves, 1 tsp Dried thyme, 1 tsp Smoked paprika (if using), and 8 cups Water (or low-sodium chicken stock). Bring to a gentle simmer.
15 min
Tip: Keep it at a lazy simmer—boiling can make beans split later and can turn the turkey tough.
- 3
Simmer to build the broth. Simmer 30 minutes, skimming any foam, so the turkey perfumes the pot before the beans go in.
30 min
Tip: This is where the ‘heritage’ lives—the pot liquor is the whole point.
- 4
Add beans and slow-simmer. Stir in drained beans. Keep at a gentle simmer, partially covered, until beans are creamy-tender, 60–90 minutes depending on age/variety. Add a splash of water if the beans peek above the liquid.
80 min
Tip: Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom—beans love to settle.
- 5
Make the chowchow-style cabbage pickles. Thinly slice 3 cups Green cabbage and 1 cup Yellow onion. Pack into a jar or bowl. Bring 1 cup Apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup Water, 2 tbsp Sugar, 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, and 1 pinch Turmeric to a boil; pour over. Cool, then chill.
15 min
Tip: They’re good in 30 minutes, but even better after an hour. This is your bright, crunchy ‘pop’ for the bowl.
- 6
Bake the skillet cornbread. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven 10 minutes. Whisk 1 cup Stone-ground cornmeal, 1/2 cup All-purpose flour, 1 tbsp Sugar, 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, and 1 tsp Kosher salt. Whisk in 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk, 1 Egg, and 3 tbsp Melted butter. Swirl 1 tbsp Bacon fat or butter in the hot skillet, pour batter, bake until browned and set.
20 min
Tip: The hot skillet is non-negotiable—it gives you that crackly, lace-edge crust my grandmother judged all cornbread by.
- 7
Finish the beans like a chef. When beans are tender, remove turkey, cool slightly, pick meat from bones, and chop. Return meat to pot. Stir in 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp Fish sauce (if using). Add minced garlic and optional sliced collards; simmer 5–10 minutes until greens are tender. Taste and adjust with Kosher salt, 1 tsp Black pepper, and more vinegar if it needs lift.
12 min
Tip: Vinegar at the end wakes up the whole pot. Fish sauce shouldn’t taste like fish—it should taste like ‘more turkey.’
- 8
Make a quick pepper oil. Warm 0.333 cup Neutral oil (grapeseed/canola) with 1 tsp Crushed red pepper (and a pinch of smoked paprika if you like) just until the pepper blooms, 60–90 seconds; don’t fry it dark. Cool.
3 min
Tip: This is my shortcut to that ‘pepper vinegar’ feeling, but silkier and more spoonable.
- 9
Build the lunch bowls. Cut cornbread into wedges. Place a wedge in each bowl, ladle beans and turkey over so it soaks in. Top with a tangle of cabbage pickles, a drizzle of pepper oil, 1 tbsp Benne seeds (or toasted sesame) (optional), and 1 tbsp Hot sauce.
5 min
Tip: If you want it extra hearty, crumble cornbread into the bowl like my uncle did and call it ‘the good kind of mess.’
Chef's Notes
In my grandmother’s Atlanta kitchen, the pot of beans was never just food—it was a schedule. You could tell what kind of day it was by how slow the simmer sounded. This bowl keeps that rhythm, but I finish it my way: a little vinegar for snap, a whisper of fish sauce for depth, and chowchow-style pickles to keep every bite bright. If you’ve got leftover beans, they get even better overnight; thin with a splash of water, rewarm gently, and toast cornbread in a skillet for day-two magic.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.