Smoky Ham and Navy Bean Soup

Begin by placing navy beans into a large cooking vessel, covering them with several inches of cold water. Next, bring the mixture to a rolling boil and then decrease the heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes. After this initial step, remove the pot from the heat source and cover it, allowing the beans to rest for 1 hour; drain and rinse them afterwards.

To prepare the herb bundle, tie together a small amount of parsley, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf using a tiny piece of kitchen string. Subsequently, place the soaked navy beans, herb bundle, ham hocks, carrot, onion, and garlic into a large cooking pot or Dutch oven; add 8 cups of cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer until the beans and ham hocks are tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Once you've completed the cooking process, turn off the heat source and remove the ham hocks. Allow them to cool down before handling them; once they're cool enough, you can remove the meat from the bones and discard any excess fat, skin, or bones. Chop the ham into small pieces for later use. Remove and discard the herb bundle.

Transfer about 3 cups of cooked navy beans along with some of their cooking liquid into a blender; puree the beans to your desired consistency. Pour the pureed beans back into the soup pot and add the chopped ham; bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Finally, season your soup with salt and black pepper to taste