Description
Pioneer woman ham and bean soup blends rustic charm with hearty flavors from traditional American cooking. Simmering ham hocks, white beans, and aromatic vegetables create a comforting meal you’ll savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) dry great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
- 2 cups chopped ham
- 1 ham hock
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) water
- 1 cup (150 grams) chopped onion
- 1 cup (150 grams) chopped carrots
- 0.5 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.5 tsp ground white pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Bean Preparation: Thoroughly rinse dry great northern beans, submerge in cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover and let beans soak for one hour to soften and enhance texture.
- Vegetable and Seasoning Integration: Drain and rinse beans, return to pot with fresh water. Add carrots, onions, celery, garlic, mustard powder, salt, and bay leaves. Incorporate ham hock and bring to a vigorous boil.
- Slow Simmering Process: Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow soup to gently simmer for two hours until beans reach desired tenderness. Remove ham hock and carefully extract meat from bone, chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Flavor Enhancement: Introduce chopped ham into the pot, continuing to cook for an additional 30 minutes to develop a rich, harmonious flavor profile. Discard bay leaves and season with ground white pepper.
- Final Refinement: Optionally reincorporate chopped ham hock meat. Adjust seasoning to personal preference, ensuring a balanced and robust taste.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the steaming soup into warm bowls, pairing with crusty bread to create a comforting and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Soak Beans Correctly: Proper soaking reduces cooking time and helps eliminate gas-causing compounds, ensuring a smoother digestive experience.
- Manage Ham Hock Carefully: Allow ham hock to cool before removing meat to prevent burning fingers and maintain meat’s tender texture.
- Layer Flavors Strategically: Adding ham in two stages (ham hock and chopped ham) develops a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Season Gradually: Taste and adjust seasonings throughout cooking to build a perfectly balanced soup without over-salting.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg