Ham Bone-And-Bean Soup

This is the soup born the day after a big ham dinner, when the bone still holds onto shreds of smoky meat and would be a crime to toss. A proper two-hour homemade stock pulled from that bone is the entire flavor foundation, so do not skip it in favor of canned broth. The slow simmer pulls collagen from the ham bone and turns the water into something rich enough to stand on its own.

Soaked beans (overnight or quick-soaked for an hour) cook faster and more evenly than dry straight out of the bag, and soaking washes away some of the starches that cause digestive upset. Forty-five minutes to an hour in the simmering stock is usually all it takes.

Adding the rest of the ham meat only in the last half hour is the smart move. Long simmering turns cooked ham stringy and rubbery; adding it late keeps the chunks tender and the fat from going rancid.

A splash of hot sauce at the end is optional but worth considering. It cuts through the fat and brightens the otherwise mellow, brothy flavor.

Kitchen Tips

• Freeze the ham bone after Christmas or Easter for this exact purpose; even a year-old bone in the freezer makes stock
• Skim the foam that rises during the first twenty minutes of the bean simmer; this is what separates silky soup from muddy
• Degrease the stock by chilling and lifting off the solid fat layer; this takes the soup from greasy to clean-tasting
• Make up to two days ahead; the flavor only deepens overnight as the beans soften further into the broth

Variations

• Use navy, great northern, pinto, or mixed heirloom beans; each brings a different texture and color
• Add diced carrots, potatoes, or a handful of kale in the last fifteen minutes for extra vegetables
• Stir in a tablespoon of smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke if your ham is not particularly smoky