Best Country Ham Bean Soup With Smoked Sausage Recipes

HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven (you can also use a thick-bottomed soup pot, but may need to stir more often to prevent burning) over medium heat for about 3 minutes or so, until it's nice and hot. Add the oil and the onions. Cook until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped celery and carrots, and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Add the beans, followed by the water. Increase the heat to high.
• Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, black pepper, paprika, and chicken bouillon paste. (If you don't have chicken bouillon paste, simply use chicken stock in place of the water.) Bring to a boil.
• Stir in the ham. I like to cut it into big shards/shreds for extra texture. (Sarah likes hers cubed and orderly though. I won't judge either way!) If you're using a ham hock instead of ham, you can add it in now.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup is at a somewhat energetic simmer--it should always be at a low bubble. Cook for 4-5 hours, stirring periodically. If the soup isn't cooking down, you may want to increase the heat to medium. Every stove is different, so don't just set it and forget it. Periodically check liquid levels.
• In the last hour of cooking, add the fresh parsley, and cook for another hour. It's done when the beans and carrots are tender, and the soup is thickened. If you used a ham hock, fish out any bones, and chop up any large pieces of meat and skin (keeping the skin is optional) that don't break down during the cooking process before serving.
• This soup is quite forgiving. If it ends up too salty for your tastes, just add water, and lightly mash some of the beans to release their starchiness and re-thicken the soup. If you are reheating the soup and there is not enough liquid, just add 1-2 cups of water to bring it back to your desired consistency.

SMOKY WHITE BEAN AND HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Quick-soak the beans: Place the beans in a medium pot and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 1 hour. Drain in a colander.
• Place the drained beans into a 5.5-quart Dutch oven or large pot. Add the water, chicken stock, bay leaves, quartered onion, and ham hocks. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer over low heat until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour (depending on the size of the beans, it could take a bit longer).
• Once the beans are tender, pull out the bay leaves, onion remnants, and ham hocks. Discard the bay leaves and onions, but set the ham hocks aside to cool.
• Add the minced onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and 2 teaspoons of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. While the soup is cooking, and when the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the hocks, discard any bone, fat, and tough sinew, and chop the meat finely.
• Use a ladle to transfer about 2 cups of the beans and vegetables, along with a bit of broth, to a blender or food processor. (If using a blender, be sure to remove the center knob on the lid and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters.) Purée until smooth, and then stir the mixture back into the soup. Add the meat and kale to the soup and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, if necessary (I usually add about 1 teaspoon more; beans require a lot of salt to bring out their flavor). At this point, you can serve the soup or refrigerate it for up to 3 days. (It will thicken up in the fridge; thin it with a bit of water, if necessary.)
• When you're ready to eat, garnish each bowl with a drizzle with olive oil (if using) and a heap of grated cheese.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. through.

COUNTRY HAM & BEAN SOUP WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE

Steps:

• 1. Place dried beans in a LARGE pot and pick through to check for stones. Rinse beans, drain and add water to cover by at least 2 inches. Soak at least 8 hours or overnight.
• 2. After soaking, drain beans, rinse, drain again and add 2 quarts water**, flavoring packet (that comes with beans) and 2 envelopes of ham flavoring. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (Note: you may have to add more water during this step to make sure beans are covered with liquid.) ** OR, INSTEAD OF PLAIN WATER, PLACE A HAM BONE IN A LARGE DUTCH OVEN AND ADD WATER TO COVER HALF OF BONE. ADD 2 BAY LEAVES AND A SLICED ONION TO THE POT. BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE HEAT. COVER AND SIMMER FOR 1 TO 2 HOURS. REMOVE BONE AND STRAIN BROTH. USE THIS BROTH INSTEAD OF PLAIN WATER. Take any meat off of the bone and add to soup with the rest of the meat as mentioned in Step 3.
• 3. After simmering for 1 hour, add onion, carrot, potato, ham, sausage, bay leaves and 2 more envelopes ham flavoring to pot. Simmer an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often, until beans are soft and begin to break apart.
• 4. Add chicken broth (enough to make desired consistency) and quick cooking barley (and more ham flavoring if needed). Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until barley is cooked.
• 5. Serve with salad and crusty bread.
• 6. FREEZES WELL!!

HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Season onion with Italian seasoning. Continue to cook and stir for 1 more minute.
• Stir chicken broth, white beans, tomatoes, cabbage, ham, and celery into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; simmer until celery and cabbage are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

SMOKED SAUSAGE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water to cover, overnight (8 to12 hours). Drain beans and rinse well.
• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Remove the sausage from the skillet and reserve. Add the onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, an additional minute.
• Add the browned sausage back to the stockpot. Stir in the beans, bay leaves, and thyme. Add the chicken stock, water, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat, as necessary, if desired. (The cook time may vary depending on the beans, but they should be tender and falling apart when finished.)
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed. Using a potato masher or the flat side of a spoon, gently mash the beans against the bottom and sides of the stockpot, leaving some of the beans whole and some mashed. Continue to simmer the soup for 30 minutes, uncovered, or until desired consistency.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve hot, with crusty bread slices.

HAM AND BEAN SOUP II

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, add water, ham bone and pre-soaked beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are close to soft.
• Remove bone and cut off remaining meat. Remove 1/3 of beans and mash with potato masher or food processor.
• Return ham and beans back to stock pot and add onion, carrots, celery, garlic powder, pepper and paprika. If you are using dripping from a previously cooked ham add those now. Simmer until vegetables are tender and serve.

SAUSAGE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook and crumble sausage with onion and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain., Stir in beans, tomatoes, basil and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Serve with cheese.