Bean & Bacon Soup

Total Time: 48 hrs Cook Time: 48 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 ham hock
• 1 (15 ounce) package navy beans
• 4 garlic cloves
• 10 cups water
• 5 slices bacon
• 3 carrots
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• 3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons liquid smoke
• 2 teaspoons salt (i recommend sea salt)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 medium yellow onion
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 soak beans overnight, drain, rinse and put aside.
• 2 boil 3 cups water and add salt, ham hock, 2 whole garlic cloves and onion, cut in large chunks.
• 3 bring down heat, simmer on the stove, covered, for 1 hour. while waiting, peel the carrot and slice them into small pieces. finely chop the remaining garlic cloves.
• 4 when broth is done simmering, chop the onion fine, add carrots and garlic and beans.
• 5 add remaining water, adding additional if needed to cover the beans.
• 6 add worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir well.
• 7 fry bacon, reserving the grease, while the soup continues to simmer. using only the meaty parts, tear into small pieces. add meat and grease to soup.
• 8 continue to simmer soup, covered, for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. let sit over night and simmer for a couple of hours the next day for maximum flavor.
• 9 optional: for added depth in the soup, remove a 1-2 cups of the soup, blend and stir back into the soup kettle.