print Smoked Ham and White Bean Soup

Nothing beats a simmering ham stock on the stove on a weekend afternoon. Put some dried beans to soak before going to bed and make this soup at your own pace the next day. The comfort comes as much from the making as the eating of this classic soup.

Makes 13 servings.

Ingredients

1	leftover bone from a Springer’s smoked picnic ham with meat left on
1 lb	dried cannelli beans	500 g
3 quarts	water	3 L
5	fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tbsp dried thyme	8 mL
1	bay leaf
1 cup	diced carrots	250 mL
1 cup	diced celery	250 mL
2 cups	diced onion	500 mL
1 tsp	salt (or to taste)	5 mL
1 tsp	pepper (or to taste)	5 mL

Directions

Soak beans in cold water for 8 hours, or overnight.

Combine ham bone and water in large pot with thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until meat is coming off the bone, about 1 hour.

Remove bone from broth and remove meat from bone. Dice meat and set aside.

Add beans to broth and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to bottom of pot, until beans are starting to get tender but not soft. About 1 hour.

Add carrots, celery and onion and simmer on medium for another hour. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Springer’s Meats (springersmeats.com)