ButterYum’s Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• FOR THE HAM STOCK:
• 1  Leftover Ham Bone With Some Meat Still On It
• 12 cups Cold Water
• 1  Medium Onion, Roughly Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, Smashed
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
• 2 leaves Bay Leaves
• FOR THE SOUP:
• 1 pound Dried Beans (Quick-Soaked As Directed Below)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1  Large Onion, Diced
• 4  Carrots, Peeled And Diced
• 8 cups Ham Stock
• 1 leaf Bay Leaf
• ½ teaspoons Dried Thyme
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley, Divided
• 3 cups Leftover Cooked Ham, Diced
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

For the ham stock:
Start by placing ham bone in a large stock pot and cover with 12 cups of cold water. Add the onions, garlic, parsley and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 60-90 minutes until the quick-soaking process for the beans is complete.

To quick soak the beans:
Rinse 1 pound of beans in cold water and remove any foreign particles such as icky beans, stems, small stones, etc. Place the beans in a pot that’s large enough to cover them with about 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat, cover the pot, let beans soak for 1 hour. Then drain them and set them aside. The beans should swell and soften a bit, but shouldn’t be soft enough to eat yet.

For the soup:
In a 6-quart or larger soup pot over medium heat, saute the onions and carrots in a tablespoon of olive oil until softened and edges start to caramelize. Add the soaked and drained beans, 8 cups of the ham stock, bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle roll and cook for 1-2 hours, or until the beans are soft and creamy; stirring occasionally.

Add ham and remaining dried parsley (1 tablespoon). Cook for a few minutes more until the ham is heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a big hunk of chewy bread. Heaven!!