Mary Jane’s Bean Pot Soup
Years ago, my dad owned a Honeybee Ham store, which he bought mostly as a tax write-off—until my sister Mary Jane got involved, that is. She took over the kitchen and started making, among other things, her fabulous bean soup for the store’s little front-of-the-house café. Business took off. But my father, whose main business was swimming pool contracting, finally sold it. Until he did, for years we had ham for every occasion—parties, family reunions, holidays. After that, I didn’t eat ham for a while. My little sister died suddenly last year, and I recently found her handwritten bean soup recipe in an old notebook. Serve it with my iceberg wedges (page 219) and Sweet Potato Biscuits (page 239), and you’ve got an easy, fortifying meal fit for a group of friends or family on a cool winter evening. Don’t forget that the beans need overnight soaking before cooking.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot set over medium heat; sauté the onion, celery, garlic, jalapeños, and carrots for about 3 minutes. Add the 10 cups water, the soaked and drained beans, ham, tomatoes, ginger, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
do it early
Step 2
The soup can be made up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To serve, reheat and add water or stock if it has become too thick.
tip
Step 3
My dad sold ham bones for soups at his Honeybee store, so it is worth asking for bones at your local ham store.