Ham (Bone) & Bean Soup

Some of you will remember that I made a Mustard & Cola Glazed Ham for Easter brunch. I didn't want a pre-sliced spiral cut ham; so I decided to get one with the bone-in and make the glaze myself. I saved that bone in a ziplock freezer bag for later. Everybody, and I mean everybody, I told about my ham bone told me a had to make ham & bean soup. It's hard not to take the advice when it is universally agreed upon.

Is starts simply enough with a classic mirepoix of carrots, onion, and celery. You might also know that I am a big fan of using the celery greens too.

Add them to a Dutch oven with a little olive oil or butter, some minced garlic, and season with salt & pepper. My wife said, "It's amazing how good a few vegetables and garlic can smell." To which I replied, "That's probably why they're so popular."  Many, many dishes begin this same way.

Then I got out my big ham bone. You'll notice there is still quite a bit of meat on there. I had a 15.23 lb ham, and after a while of carving, I just decided enough was enough. Plus, that ham meat will be great in my soup later.

I made a well in the middle of my vegetables and seared the bone off on all sides over medium-high heat.

Then I added six cups of water -- not chicken stock, not bouillon cubes. Just water. You're making your own stock here folks. So let that ham bone do the work for you.  I added some dried thyme and two bay leaves. You could add some more pepper; but I would hold off on any more salt since the ham is already salty.

I put the lid on and let it bubble away at medium-high heat for probably 30-45 minutes. Then I reduced it to medium-low and let it go another 3 hours.

At that point the meat was falling off the bone, in fact, the bone was falling apart. So I let it cool a little on a cutting board and then separated the meat from the bits you don't want to eat. Slimy fat, tissue, and sinew are not appealing to anybody.

I added all that meat back to my soup. Then I drained a can of white beans to add.

I also smashed up a can another can of drained beans to thicken my soup.

Several recipes varied on what else to add to the mix.  Tomatoes and potatoes were suggested as possible additions. I settled on corn for some sweetness.

Stir it all together and taste it to be sure your seasoning is where you want it to be.

Tell me that doesn't look great. I dare you! It was a rainy Sunday afternoon in spring and the temperatures had dropped a little. This was the perfect activity to add to a day filed with NBA playoffs and a nap. Letting the soup bubble away while you're sleeping isn't a bad way to cook. And then to wake up and finish off this beauty was a great way to end my weekend.

There is a real depth of flavor here. I think it's more rich than a chicken stock because of all that ham. And the beans bulk it all up so it's hearty. But there is tons of protein in the beans, and a lot of great vegetables. So this is a soup you can feel good about eating. We served it with some corn bread.  I forgot to garnish it with sour cream and spicy brown mustard. But that's what leftovers are for!

(The Mrs had that last night and said it was great.)