Navy Bean Soup

NAVY BEAN SOUP

2 16oz cans Bush’s Navy Beans
1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes
2 Ham Hocks
1 Small Potato – Diced
1 Medium Carrot – Diced
1 Medium Stalk Celery – Diced
1 Small Onion Diced
2 Cloves Garlic – Chopped Fine
1/2 Small Green Pepper - Diced
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbs Parsley
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
S&P to taste
Bacon – How much is up to you.
 
Drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients to large pot, Cover and low simmer until meat pulls off ham hocks easily, usually 2-3 hours.
Remove ham hocks, pull all meat and return to pot, cover and let cool down, then refrigerate for a day or two. When ready to serve
cook bacon and add chunks to soup bowls.
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I was looking for ham hocks and spotted this.
 

 
I could smell the smoke through the package and decided to substitute them for the ham hocks.
 

 

 

 
Don’t forget the bacon
 

 
Or a crusty roll
 

For liquid do you use water or broth or...??

NYPIzzaNut


For liquid do you use water or broth or...??

I use water, the ham hocks and other ingredients make their own broth. The smoked neck bones did a very nice job of adding flavor to the soup but very little meat. I think next time I will use ham hocks & neckbones and get the best of both worlds.    But do not forget the bacon!

Looks delicious.  

Do you always add potatoes to your bean soup?  

I have no problem with neck bones.

I used to braise the unsmoked variety in water with lots of garlic and rosemary for a cheap dinner.

I use pork neck bones to add a depth of flavor to lots of dishes- from my spaghetti sauce to soups. I will have to keep an eye open for "smoked" neck bones...they looked really good.

I love the idea of using smoked neck bones along with a ham hock( or leftover ham bone) I bet they add a great additional flavor.Thanks for improving my cooking, John.

Looks awfully good John. My local grocer sells neck bones and I think I'm going to try this next time I make a pot of pinto beans.

mar52


Looks delicious.  

Do you always add potatoes to your bean soup?  

I have no problem with neck bones.

I used to braise the unsmoked variety in water with lots of garlic and rosemary for a cheap dinner.

 
Hi Mar52. Yes I always add potatoes to my Bean soup - don't ask me why??? Guess it's like the old story about the husband watching his wife prepare a pot roast. After seasoning it she cut the ends off then put it in a pot and into the oven. He asks why she cut the ends off, "Because that's how my mother does it" she replied. Some time later they were at his in laws and MIL was preparing a pot roast, sure enough she cut the ends of. He asked her why she did that , "So it will fit in the pot" she replied.

That is the best-looking bean soup I have ever seen. I will go to Publix today and get some of those neck bones. Just love their smoked meat section!  I have all the other ingredients except I will use dry beans and soak them overnight, cook 'em a little, and proceed from there. I'm too cheap to buy the Bush's if I have dry beans at home. Speaking of beans, John A., are you familiar with cranberry beans?  They make a great soup. If you can't find them, let me know and I'll send you a pound of the dried ones. Bush's makes those too, but I can't find them here.

That soup, dear JohnA, looks so tasy and filling. Thanks for sharing with our community your great recipes and pics. You are very gracious.

As some hick singer use to say, "Thank you very much".

John,

 I can be light on compliments, but that is really delicious looking. My computer has been upgraded to Aromavision v 1.2 and I can smell it from here.
The funny thing is that as a navy cook, I never made that soup.

mark

John,

 I can be light on compliments, but that is really delicious looking. My computer has been upgraded to Aromavision v 1.2 and I can smell it from here.
The funny thing is that as a navy cook, I never made that soup.

mark

John A,
Everything in your recipe looks great except the CANNED beans. Why on use dried beans that have been soaked overnight? I would think canned beans would turn to mush with  2-3 hours of cooking. Just a thought.

Foodbme


John A,
Everything in your recipe looks great except the CANNED beans. Why on use dried beans that have been soaked overnight? I would think canned beans would turn to mush with  2-3 hours of cooking. Just a thought.

Surprisingly they do not soften up at all. After all is said and done you cannot tell the difference between them and dry beans and they are a lot easier.

Great looking soup John!

Here is mine:
Navy Bean Soup or Pork & Beans:

Bag of Navy beans or Northern beans
Smoked ham, chopped, or hocks (your perf.)
1 large Sweat Onion
1 14.5 oz can of petite dice Tomatoes with juice
Half & half water & Chicken Broth to cover and if more is needed during cooking add chicken broth.
Salt, pepper & Garlic power (or minced gralic)

Load in crock-pot and let cook for several hours until beans are tender and you can't resist eating it any longer and your perf to pre- soak the beans.

Note: Tomatoes, half & half regular & Italian style works very well. Also, could add dash of Italian seasoning if Italian tomatoes are not on hand.

My navy bean soup:
 
One ham bone- the Honey Baked Ham stores in Indy will sell you a ham bone. 
                          I always call ahead to have one saved for me.
 
1 lb navy beans- I don't soak mine overnight, just bring beans to boil , remove
                            from heat, cover, let sit for 1 hour, drain & rinse beans.
3-4 medium onions- peeled & cut in 1/2
 
salt, pepper
water to cover.
 
Bring to beans to boil, skim foam, partially cover, barely simmer untill beans are tender & broth is favorful.  
 
I cook my beans all day(8-10 hours) at a very low simmer(just a few tiny bubbles(I loved Don Ho!).   If I try to cheat, the broth is never as silky & flavorful as when I cook them all day. 
 
Serve with corn sticks(we like crusty cormbread & cornsticks are crusty on both sides), fried potatoes, diced sweet onions, & my mom's vegetable relish-diced green pepper, onion,  & tomato -dressed with a small amount of water, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper.

I'm going to try not soaking mine.  I hate that step because I ususally have something to do the next day that gets in my way.  Hard to explain but I end up tossing the beans.

I do beans, ham hocks, carrots, celery and onions.  Then I spice it up with what's on hand.

I love bean soup!

John, I understand about your potatoes.

Sorta

Mar, that has happened to me, just couldn't get the soup made that next day. I drained the beans, put them in a zip lock bag, then in the fridge. That'll keep them for a couple of days.

John A.: By the way, I made your soup, added some thyme. We loved it, the neighbors loved it. Thanks again.

I think bean soup is one of those things that is going to be good just about any way you make it. I would like to ask everyone a favor, try the Bush's canned navy or northern beans one time instead of the dry ones and let me know if you can tell the difference - I cannot. Be sure to drain and rinse them well.