Best 2 Moms Ham And Bean Soup 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.

MOM'S BEST HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place dry beans and 3 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and allow to stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.
• Place 3 more cups fresh water into a large pressure cooker. Add the soaked beans and ham bone, and stir in parsley, bay leaves, dried onion flakes, garlic, thyme, dry mustard, chili powder, and paprika. Seal the pressure cooker, and heat to 15 pounds per square inch. Cook under pressure for 7 minutes; add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level. Remove from heat, and allow pressure to subside naturally.
• When pressure has reduced, open the lid of the cooker. Stir in 5 more cups of water, celery, olive oil, tomato puree, ketchup, chicken soup base, molasses, brown sugar, and cracked black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer the soup until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in shell pasta, and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 more minutes.