Ham and Bean Soup

• 8 cups water
• 1 pound dry great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ stalk celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ham hock
• 2 cups chopped ham
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

Bean Prep:

Quick-Soak Method

1. Rinse & Combine: Rinse your dried navy beans and place them in a heavy pot.
2. Add Water: Cover beans with at least 2-3 inches of cold water.
3. Flavor (Optional): Add aromatics like a bay leaf, garlic cloves, or a quartered onion to the pot.
4. Boil & Simmer: Bring the pot to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook: Cover partially and simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
6. Check for Doneness: Taste the beans; they're done when tender, adding more water if needed. 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place water and beans in a large pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in salt and remove the pot from heat; cover, and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Add carrots, onion, celery, garlic, mustard, and bay leaves to the pot with beans; stir well. Add ham hock and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Remove ham hock and discard. Stir in chopped ham and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with ground white pepper to taste.

• To thicken soup the easiest method is to use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash some of the beans to release their starches. After mashing or pulsing, allow the soup to simmer another few minutes. Alternatively, you can add a starchy slurry—mix a tablespoon of cornstarch or potato starch with 1-2 tablespoons of water, then add to the pot near the end of cooking and simmer a few minutes. Finally, you can add plain instant mashed potato flakes near the end of cooking & simmer a few minutes.