White Bean Ham Hock (Printable Version)

Tender white beans combined with smoky ham hock and savory vegetables for a comforting dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 large smoked ham hock, approximately 1 to 1.5 pounds

→ Beans

02 - 1 pound dried great northern or cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Seasonings

07 - 2 bay leaves
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
11 - Salt to taste

→ Liquids

12 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

→ Finishing

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, combine the soaked and drained beans, ham hock, diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and stir thoroughly to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
03 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
04 - Remove the ham hock from the pot and allow it to cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding the skin and bone. Return the shredded meat to the pot.
05 - Continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened slightly. Add additional broth or water if needed to reach desired consistency.
06 - Taste the soup and season with salt as needed, keeping in mind that the ham hock will contribute saltiness. Remove bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's a one-pot wonder that does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day, and somehow tastes like you've been stirring it for hours.
  • The ham hock gives you this smoky backbone that makes every spoonful taste rich without needing cream or butter to get there.
  • Batch this and freeze it—future you will be genuinely grateful on nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
  • The ham hock is salty, so taste the soup before adding any salt at the end—I once over-salted an entire pot because I forgot this crucial step and had to start over with extra broth.
  • If your beans aren't soaking overnight, they'll take twice as long to cook, and the texture won't be quite as tender; this isn't a step to rush or skip.
03 -
  • If you're short on time the morning you want to cook, quick-soak your beans by boiling them for 2 minutes, letting them sit covered for an hour, then draining and proceeding—it works almost as well as overnight soaking.
  • Save your ham hock bone after shredding and freeze it; it's liquid gold for making broth that'll make your next pot of soup even more flavorful.
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