DEEP FRIED BACON RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• The night before, place the beans into a pot or large bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight.
• For the stock, place ham bone or pork hocks in a large stockpot and cover with water. Add the remaining stock ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• Strain, reserving the bone and stock; discard vegetables. Once cooled, pick off any meat from the bone, reserving the meat and discarding the bone.
• When ready to prepare soup, drain the beans and set aside.
• Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into pieces into a soup pot or Dutch oven; cook over medium high heat until softened but not crisp. Remove about 1/3 of the bacon to a paper towel to reserve for garnish.
• Add the onion, carrots and celery to the remaining bacon; cook and stir until softened about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste. Cook and stir until the tomato paste begins to slightly brown.
• Add the drained beans; stir. Add in the salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf; stir in the chicken base, reserved ham stock along with 4 additional cups of either water, stock or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
• The last 10 minutes of cooking, remove 2 cups of the soup and whirl it in a blender until creamy. Add back to the soup pot. Add the Liquid Smoke and pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning, if desired. Garnish with reserved bacon.
• Add a sandwich or a nice mixed garden salad with a slice of cornbread. Pass hot sauce at the table.