NAVY BEAN RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Sort beans and place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and soak overnight. Or bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then cover, remove from heat and beans sit undisturbed for one hour.
• Drain bean water.
• Add remaining ingredients except celery and carrots to beans (including 7 cups water).
• Bring beans to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring and skimming occasionally.
• Adjust cooking time if needed until beans are soft and tender.
• Add carrots and celery and cook for about half an hour.
• Fish out the ham hock, and when cool enough to handle, remove its meat and add the meat back to the pot.

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes; remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for one hour. Drain and reserve. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine.
• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions, and garlic with the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and adjust the heat so the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring in the carrots after 1 hour, until the beans and hock are completely tender, about 1 1/2 hours total.
• Turn off the heat and remove the hocks. Cool slightly. Remove the meat from the hocks, discarding the bones, fat, and skin. Cut the meat into small cubes. Remove the herb bundle and discard.
• Puree about 3 cups of the beans with a some of the liquid in a blender. (For a smoother soup, puree all the beans.) Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup. Heat the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
• Pour into heated bowls, place a small pat of butter on top of each soup, and serve.