Creamy White Bean and Ham Hock Soup

A creamy white bean and ham hock soup proves I am on an extended comfort food kick.  I can’t help it.  When my air conditioning bills in the desert start to get lower (even though it is still in the high 90’s outside), I start getting giddy about cooler weather.  And then my food brain starts coming up with recipes that make me feel nice and cozy.   And then Steve gets really happy because he loves what he calls “soupy season”.

Once we’ve completed our move back to Kansas, I imagine “soupy season” will come much earlier and last much longer.  Which is fine with us.  We have all missed the seasons, and I just love the calm and quiet beauty of a snowy morning.  I’m pretty sure there won’t be anything calm and beautiful about driving on snow and ice after a 31-year lack of practice, but I refuse to focus on that now.  I’m going to be a total Scarlet O’Hara and think about that tomorrow.

Right now, I want to think about this delicious ham hock soup.  You know, there are more complicated recipes out there.  Many with more ingredients.  The one I made is definitely on the simple side.  But that’s what I really love about it. To me, what makes a good white bean and ham hock soup is the perfect marriage of the beans and the smoky, ham flavor of the hocks.   Some oregano and bay leaves really up the earthy flavors, and the pressure cooker tenderizes the luscious great northern white beans until they are creamy and become their own thickening agent.  It’s a creamy, smoky bite of happiness in every spoonful.

So, let’s make some creamy white bean and ham hock soup

In calling it a simple recipe, I meant that I don’t usually include carrots, or potatoes in my white bean and ham hock soup.   But I do like a nice amount of bacon, which renders the fat I use to sauté the generous amount of onion and garlic.

Of course, I’ve already mentioned the oregano and bay leaves, which ground the smoky bacon and ham hock while giving the creamy beans a nice earthy flavor.  And from the Brazilian version of this soup, called joelho de porco com feijão branco, I add just one tablespoon of fresh lime juice at the end, after turning off the burner and just before serving.

The lime juice is a bit tricky.  One tablespoon is not enough to taste the lime juice, but it seems to mysteriously brighten the soup.  More than one tablespoon and you can taste the lime, but it tends to bring out a bitter taste in the soup.  So, add it judiciously or not at all.  I like it with.

Before you start, wash and pick through the beans to remove any debris.  I found a half-inch ball of packed dirt with my beans.  That is not the kind of earthiness I want in my ham hock soup.

I mentioned this was a pressure cooker soup.  Frankly, almost all my soups are pressure cooker soups.  I’m just not patient enough to plan 6 or more hours in advance to use a slow cooker.  And even a regular soup pan cannot tenderize meats and legumes as quickly as a pressure cooker can.  Everything cooks and thickens faster in a pressure cooker.  So, if you are afraid of using them, don’t be.  They make time management a snap!

Start by browning the bacon until it starts to caramelize the bottom of the pressure cooker but is still soft.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté just until they are soft and aromatic.

Then add the ham hocks, the washed beans, the oregano and the bay leaves.

Add the chicken broth (enough to cover the beans by about 2 inches), lock the lid, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes after the pressure cooker valve hisses, indicating it is cooking under pressure.

After 20 minutes, turn off the flame, release the pressure and remove the lid.  Check to make sure there is still enough liquid to cook the beans.  Remember, cooking with pressure requires liquids.  Add more broth or some water if the beans are not covered with liquid.

Lock the lid again, turn the burner back on to medium, and cook for 15 or 20 minutes more after the pan has reached pressure.

Turn off the burner, release the pressure and unlock the lid.  Your soup should look something like the picture above.  See how creamy the liquid has become?  And the beans are so tender they are falling apart.

Remove the ham hocks from the soup, peel away the skin and discard.  Cut the meat off the bones, discard the bones, and add the meat back to the soup.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.  Frankly, between the bacon and the ham hocks, I did not add any salt.  But I did use a pepper mill to add a ton of fresh cracked pepper.

Then add the tablespoon of lime juice and stir thoroughly.

You are now ready to serve this beautiful creamy white bean and ham hock soup.

 I like to top it with a bit of fresh parsley.  Not only is the green beautiful against that creamy brown and the occasional pink, hammy goodness, but the fresh herby taste goes really well with the soup.

What do you think, people?  To me, it looks luscious.  But then I’m biased because I actually ate it.  And I love the flavor so much, even an ugly plating would look good to me.

I had this bowl of comforting yumminess thinking about how I need to make it again when we experience our first snow in our new home in Kansas.  The thought of a cold and snowy outside, with a cozy bowl of creamy white bean and ham hock soup in a warm home makes me excited for our upcoming move.

What does a bowl of ham hock soup make you dream about, I wonder?

Creamy White Bean and Ham Hock Soup

Lori

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound Great Northern white beans washed and picked clean of debris
• 5 strips of bacon cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
• 1 medium white or yellow onion chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 2 large bay leaves
• 3-4 pounds smoked ham hocks
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more broth or water as needed
• Salt optional
• Cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice optional

Instructions

 

• Start by browning the bacon until it starts to caramelize the bottom of the pressure cooker but is still soft. Add the onions and garlic and sauté just until they are soft and aromatic.
• Then add the ham hocks, the washed beans, the oregano and the bay leaves.
• Add the chicken broth (enough to cover the beans by about 2 inches), lock the lid, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes after the pressure cooker valve hisses, indicating it is cooking under pressure.
• After 20 minutes, turn off the flame, release the pressure and remove the lid. Check to make sure there is still enough liquid to cook the beans. Add more broth or some water if the beans are not covered with liquid.
• Lock the lid again, turn the burner back on to medium, and cook for 15 or 20 minutes more once the pan reaches pressure.
• Turn off the burner, release the pressure and unlock the lid. The soup should be thickened and the beans tender. Add more water or broth if the mixture is too thick.
• Remove the ham hocks from the soup, peel away the skin and discard. Cut the meat off the bones, discard the bones, and add the meat back to the soup.
• Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
• Then add the tablespoon of lime juice and stir thoroughly.
• Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley, if desired.