Recipe: Ham Bone Soup

Post-Christmakkah we were left with lots of applesauce and latkes, and a bit of ham. We ate the latkes for probably too many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and managed to finish most of the ham. With the applesauce we made a cake (to be posted later) and are currently canning the rest as holiday gifts. So basically, we were left with a ham bone. 

Jake, being the thrifty butcher that he is, had been fantasizing about what to do with that ham bone since the day he smoked it. Meanwhile, we had been excitedly reading about Cayuga Organics' new harvest of heirloom yellow-eyed beans. A classic bean and ham bone soup seemed like the perfect opportunity for them.

We went to the market to pick up the beans, a few carrots and onions, and a bunch of kale. Not wanting to put in any more effort than was absolutely necessary, we didn’t bother letting the beans soak over night. Instead we simmered them for 6 hours with the veggies (sauteed in ham fat, of course!), some water and the ham bone. The stock was so rich and creamy,  and the aroma so intense, it was almost impossible to believe that it could have come from just some water, a bone and beans!

Ham-Bone Soup

+ 2 tablespoons of ham fat, olive oil or butter

+ 1 lb carrots, chopped

+ 1 medium onion, sliced

+ 1 ham bone

+ 1 lb beans

+ 1 lb of kale

+ 2 quarts of water

+ Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onions and carrots in fat in a large heavy-bottomed pot.

2. As they begin to get soft and translucent add the water, beans, and ham-bone. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

3. Simmer for 5 ½ hrs, stirring occasionally. (If you have left over ham from the bone, throw some chunks in after about 3 hours.)

4. Add the kale and simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the bone and serve.

Serves 8