Mom's Bean Soup
1 ham bone
1 pound pea beans
3 ribs celery, diced
2 onions, diced
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, sliced (optional)
Pick over the beans for stones or other foreign matter and wash. Soak the beans overnight in water to cover.
The next day, in a large stock pot, add the ham bone and cover with water. Simmer 3 hours or more until the water is well flavored and the meat falls from the bone. Strain the stock; you should have about 2 quarts. Remove the meat from the bone and add to the stock pot along with the stock.
Drain the water from the beans and add to the pot along with the celery, onions, bay leaf and carrot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are cooked. This will take 2 - 3 hours.
Remove the bay leaves. Serve with a crusty bread, Garlic Bread or Corn Bread.
Brian's Variation using 15 bean mix:
Brian's variation is to use the mixed 15 bean package and add chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic and onion powder, and a hint of cayenne (or use Creole Seasoning). What's nice about the mix is the larger beans stay intact while the smaller, faster cooking ones and the lentils melt into a creamy stock. These are the beans listed on the package:
Red kidney beans |
Blackeyed |
Green split peas |
Per Google AI, "The beans in a 15-bean soup mix are not precooked, but they are selected to cook at roughly the same rate after being soaked or simmered for an extended period. The mixture contains various dried beans and lentils that blend from firm to creamy during a 1.5 to 2-hour stove-top simmer or 5-8 hour slow-cooker method, ensuring they are all tender simultaneously."
On Reddit, one person said they make their own mix when short on time:
"I start with browning the ham, and water. Then I add ham soup base, or beef and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, add potatoes and carrots and when they're almost done, I add any combo of the following, but usually all if I have it. It freezes perfectly too so huge batches aren't an issue. Goes great with homemade cornbread.
Canned beans: Kidney, black, pinto, Lima, butter bean, black eyed peas, cannellini, great northern
Dried: Green and yellow split peas, brown and red lentils, barley
I'm always willing to add different combos"
