While you could use canned beans, I can tell you, it will be a thousand times better if you soak dried beans for this recipe. Canned beans will end up too mushy, in my opinion.
You can soak them over night or do the quick soak instructions on the bean package. I used 1 pound mixed dried beans.
These are all the ingredients you’ll need. See below for an itemized list in the printable recipe.
I chopped 3 Anaheim peppers that I had in the freezer from my garden last year. But a chopped chipotle pepper from a can with about 1 TBSP of chipotle sauce also works here. I also chopped about 1 cup carrots. These were multi colored heirloom carrots also from my garden last year.
Chop one onion and saute in 2 TBSP olive oil about 5 minutes.
Add 4 cloves garden garlic and cook about 1 minute.
Add remaining vegetables (carrots and peppers) and season with black pepper. Wait till the end to see if you need to add salt since the ham shanks will provide a lot of salty flavor. Cook another 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and the beans. I had 2 pint jars of tomatoes that I canned from summers bounty last year.
Add the chicken stock. This was also homemade that I had made a few weeks ago and froze. But store bought stock is fine. Just be sure it’s low sodium. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you can always add salt at the end if you think it needs it.
Add the 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of ham shanks (AKA salt). So please wait till the end to add any salt . . . I’m sure you get the idea. . .
Then the spices. I put the pickling spices and celery salt (Salt? Did someone say salt? No I said celery salt . . . sorry) in cheese cloth tied into a spice bag with kitchen string.
I tied a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary into a bundle with kitchen string and tossed in a couple small bay leaves. Just remember to remove the bay leaves before serving.
Bring to boil then simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or till ham shanks are tender and the meat easily comes off the bone. If soup starts to thicken too much you may add water. It won’t change the flavor at all.
When cool enough to handle, shred ham from bone and discard any fat and bone. Remove rosemary sprigs, bay leaves and spice bundle and stir in fresh parsley. If you think it needs salt, now is the time to add it. No, really, it’s okay to add it now. But taste is first to see, you know, if you need it.
A perfect way to brighten up a cold or dreary day!
Ham and Mixed Bean Soup
- 1 pound mixed dry beans soaked over night
- 1 pkg (1.5 to 2 lb) Ham Shanks
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped or thinly sliced carrots
- 1 chipotle pepper in abdobo sauce (or 2-3 Anaheim peppers chopped)
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 4 cups (32 oz) low sodium chicken stock
- 1 quart tomatoes
- 2 sprigs rosemary ties together with kitchen string)
- 1 rounded TBSP pickling spices (wrapped into a spice bundle with cheesecloth and kitchen string)
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 large or 2 small bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley
Soak beans over night or do the quick soak as instructed on the package.
Saute the onion in 2 TBSP olive oil till soft, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and pepper. Wait till the end to see if you need to add salt since the ham shanks will provide a lot of salty flavor. Cook another 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, spices and ham shanks. Bring to boil then simmer for 2 to 2 and half hours. If soup starts to thicken too much you may add water. It won’t change the flavor at all.
When ham shanks are tender remove from the soup and shred from bones when cool enough to handle. Remove rosemary sprigs, bay leaves and spice bundle and stir in fresh parsley.
Makes 5 or 6 servings depending on your appetite. Enjoy!
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