Simplepintobeanandhamsoup Recipes

HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven (you can also use a thick-bottomed soup pot, but may need to stir more often to prevent burning) over medium heat for about 3 minutes or so, until it's nice and hot. Add the oil and the onions. Cook until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped celery and carrots, and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Add the beans, followed by the water. Increase the heat to high.
• Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, black pepper, paprika, and chicken bouillon paste. (If you don't have chicken bouillon paste, simply use chicken stock in place of the water.) Bring to a boil.
• Stir in the ham. I like to cut it into big shards/shreds for extra texture. (Sarah likes hers cubed and orderly though. I won't judge either way!) If you're using a ham hock instead of ham, you can add it in now.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup is at a somewhat energetic simmer--it should always be at a low bubble. Cook for 4-5 hours, stirring periodically. If the soup isn't cooking down, you may want to increase the heat to medium. Every stove is different, so don't just set it and forget it. Periodically check liquid levels.
• In the last hour of cooking, add the fresh parsley, and cook for another hour. It's done when the beans and carrots are tender, and the soup is thickened. If you used a ham hock, fish out any bones, and chop up any large pieces of meat and skin (keeping the skin is optional) that don't break down during the cooking process before serving.
• This soup is quite forgiving. If it ends up too salty for your tastes, just add water, and lightly mash some of the beans to release their starchiness and re-thicken the soup. If you are reheating the soup and there is not enough liquid, just add 1-2 cups of water to bring it back to your desired consistency.

PINTO BEAN SOUP (PINTOS & HAM)... SIMPLY DELICIOUS

Steps:

• Sort dry beans removing broken beans and any foreign debris. Rinse the beans.
• Soak overnight in a large bowl covered by 2-inches of water (slow soak) -or- put in a stock pot covered by 2-inches of water; bring to a boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat and leave covered for 1-hour (quick soak).
• Drain and rinse the beans. Return to a stock pot covered by 1-inch of water.
• Add all the remaining ingredients except for the ham bone; stir to mix well.
• Nestle the ham bone into the bed of beans, cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a low simmer for about 3 hours,occasionally stirring gently in the beans under the hambone -or- until the beans are tender.
• Carefully lift the ham bone (or hocks) from the soup and place on a board so the lean meat can be cleaned from the bones. Return the lean meat to the soup. Discard the bones.
• Enjoy with hot cornbread!
• Freezes well.

SIMPLE PINTO BEAN AND HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Place ham bone in a 12 quart soup pan.
• Add the water, bay leaves, celery seed, mustard seed, and chopped onion.
• Bring to a boil.
• Boil for about an hour, lower heat to a simmer.
• Add red pepper flakes.
• Cover and continue to simmer for an addition 17 hours.
• Skim any skum from top as simmering progresses.
• Meanwhile place pinto beans in a large pan and cover with water .
• Soak beans over night or at least 8 hours.
• Remove lid from ham broth.
• Add beans and enough water to bring back up to starting volume of liquid.
• Bring back to a boil.
• Simmer uncovered for 2 hours.
• Serve.

PINTO BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse beans and sort for stones.
• Soak beans in enough water to cover overnight.
• Drain off water.
• In skillet, brown bacon.
• Add onion and celery, stir.
• Add spices.
• Add this mixture to drained beans.
• Pour enough water to reach within 3 inches of top of pot.
• Bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
• When soup is about ready to serve, use a potato masher to crush up some of the beans to make a thicker soup.