The Dogwood Inn Hearty Bean Soup
My wife and I came across this soup about 20 years ago, when we were staying at a bed and breakfast in Lake Lure, NC. After we finish a spiral ham we use the ham bone and the leftover meat to make this soup.
My wife and I came across this soup about 20 years ago, when we were staying at a bed and breakfast in Lake Lure, NC. After we finish a spiral ham we use the ham bone and the leftover meat to make this soup.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon basil
- 2 cups onion chopped
- 16 ounces mixed beans
- 2 ham bone
- 2 lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 8 carrots peeled and diced
- 30 ounces diced tomato
- 1 pound country ham cooked and chopped
- 44 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Carbohydrate 144.87569306403 g
- Cholesterol 52.3998049166667 mg
- Fat 9.29519924185426 g
- Fiber 28.1164222580103 g
- Protein 37.8759243462304 g
- Saturated Fat 3.06111011248573 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1690g)
- Sodium 1655.56385909411 mg
- Sugar 116.75927080602 g
- Trans Fat 1.27506363631238 g
- Calories 771 calories
Step-by-step
- Soak beans overnight
- Simmer with ham bone for 1 1/2 hour in 4 quarts of water
- Add all ingredients, remove ham bone (cut the meat off the bone and add to the soup) and simmer for another 2 to 3 hours.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
- Make sure you have a really big pot!
- Freezes great.
Unlike a thin, clear brothy vegetable soup, this bean-heavy pot requires a vessel holding at least eight quarts to accommodate the expanding legumes and copious liquid. Adequate pot capacity prevents messy boil-overs during the multi-hour simmering phase.
Adapting for Dietary Restrictions
Replacing the traditional ham bone and country ham with smoked turkey wings yields a similarly deep, collagen-rich broth without pork products. Adjust the added salt cautiously when using cured meats, because commercial hams release significant sodium into the simmering water. Soak dried mixed beans in cold water for twelve hours before cooking to ensure even hydration throughout the thick skins, preventing the centers from remaining chalky while the exteriors disintegrate.
Managing Long Simmers and Storage
Maintain a gentle bubble rather than a rolling boil once the tomatoes and aromatics join the pot, ensuring the beans soften without breaking apart entirely. Cool the finished batch in shallow containers within two hours before transferring portions to the refrigerator for up to four days or the freezer for three months.
