Senate Bean Soup (The Official Recipe)
Senate Bean Soup is a historic recipe that's always on the Senate menu for a reason. With not much more than navy beans, a ham hock, and water, you can have one of the country's most satisfying, and famous, ham and bean soups.
Ingredients
- 1 pounddry navy beans
- ¾ poundsmoked ham hock
- 2 quartscold water
- ½ teaspoonbaking soda (optional, but i recommend as it will help the beans soften)
- 1 largeyellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoonbutter
- kosher salt, to taste (i do about 2 teaspoons)
- fresh black pepper, to taste
Directions
- 1
Rinse the navy beans and pick over. Place the beans into large pot with the ham hock and add two quarts of cold water and the baking soda, if using. PRO TIP: Baking soda is not part of the official recipe, but it is my secret weapon when cooking dried beans. The alkaline pH helps soften the beans' tough exterior and helps speed cooking a bit.
- 2
Bring just to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for approximately three hours (yep) in a covered pot with the lid barely cracked, stirring occasionally, until the beans have fully softened. TIP: The water quantity should be accurate, but if the pot of beans starts to look a little dry, add more water until you have a very thick, creamy soup consistency.
- 3
Remove the ham hock and set it aside on a dish to cool. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent and golden. (Doesn't that smell good?) The onions should soften and become translucent, but not brown. Add the diced, buttery onion to the soup.
- 4
Pull meat from the ham hock into bite-sized pieces and return the meat to soup. Stir. Discard the picked-over ham bone. Before serving, bring the soup to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serve on its own or with a nice green salad to complement the richness of the soup.