Beans Cooked with Ham Hock
Hearty bean and pork soup, perfect for chilly winter days! White beans, pork stems, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, Tabasco, and herbs make this delicious bean and pork soup a classic in cold weather.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about revisiting some of the foods I often ate during my childhood. My last trip down memory lane led me to a great deal of pinto beans.
Yes, of course, I currently eat beans as part of my diet, but I haven’t cooked them the same way my family does. . . Start? And let’s mush it, beans are amazing , healthy, & cheap. What more could you look for in a food item ?
Ingredients :
° 1 pound (2 12 cups) dry white beans, such as cannellini or Great ° Northern
° 2 liters of water
° 2-3 pounds of smoked pork or pork shank
° 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning
° 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
° 1 cup diced onion (about 1 small onion)
° 1 cup chopped celery (about 2-3 ribs)
° 2/3 cup chopped carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
° 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
° Tabasco sauce
° Salt and Pepper
° Fresh parsley
Method :
Soak dry beans:
Fill a saucepan large enough to hold the beans with water and bring them to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans, and soak for about two hours. Drain the water.
Pork ripens:
While the beans are soaking in Step 1, place the pork stems in a separate large saucepan and cover with 2 liters of water. Add herbs de Provence or Italian spices. Heat over a high heat until the water is soft, then reduce the heat, partially cover and keep on low heat for about an hour.
Onion fry:
Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute.
Add vegetables and beans to meat broth:
Once the pork or stems have boiled for an hour, add the drained soaked beans from Step 1, the cooked onions, garlic, chopped celery and carrots.
Simmer the soup:
Cook for another 40 minutes or so, exposed, until the vegetables are tender and easily pull the pork away from the bones. Remove the pork bones from the soup, pull out any meat, and put it back into the soup. Discard the bones.
Season to taste:
Add a few drops of Tabasco as desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Served with a pinch of fresh chopped parsley.
Enjoy !
