Bean and Bacon Soup

First, render some of the fat out of your bacon pieces. My package of bacon ends had some meaty pieces and some fatty, so I separated out the fatty pieces and kept the meaty pieces for the soup. You want mostly meat when you start the boil. Fattier pieces can be rendered all the way down to make cracklings.

Drain all but a teaspoon of the fat and transfer your meaty pieces to a plate.

Dice the onion, celery, and garlic. Saute in the remaining bacon fat until fragrant. Add the drained beans and your reserved bacon pieces. Add water, thyme and peppercorns.

Boil for 30 minutes or until meat is soft.

Salt to taste before serving. Bacon can make the soup salty enough, so if you salt beforehand you may overdo it.

Add chopped celery leaves just before serving.