“Black Bean Soup”

One of my favorite things to cook during the cold winter months is soup. Don’t you agree? Nothing like hearty, tummy warming goodness from your kitchen. I’ve made this soup for years and I can’t wait for a cold day to get out my big soup pot and get to cooking my famous Black Bean Soup. In addition, it’s comfort food at the very best.

Black Bean Soup

Made with tender black beans, sometimes called turtle beans, onion, butter, chicken broth, garlic, bay leaf, parsley. Let’s not forget to add smoked ham hocks, delivering unbelievable richness to this soup. In addition, the smokey flavor of the hocks distributes throughout the soup as it simmers. The smell of simmering soup permeates your house. Trust me, you’ll feel like diving head first into the pot. Letting the soup slowly simmer makes for tender beans with great big flavor. It’s the perfect weekend meal.

Black Bean Soup

So if you’re looking for a great family time recipe, you’ll find it in a big pot of soup. Especially relevant, don’t forget to have various toppings available like cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream. Most noteworthy, whip up a pan of old-fashioned cornbread to serve alongside a big bowl of soup. I believe your family will thank you and you’ll know they’re eating healthy comfort food.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

2 cups black beans, cleaned, rinsed and soaked

6 cups cold water

2 cups chicken broth

3 medium onions, chopped

1/4 cup butter

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

2 smoked ham hocks

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1/3 cup dry sherry (optional)

After following soaking directions below, place drained, rinsed and cleaned black beans in a large 6 to 8 quart pot. Fill pot with water and chicken broth. Cover and bring beans to a boil then reduce heat to low simmer.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, sauté garlic, onion and parsley in butter and add to soup along with bay leaves, pepper, and ham hocks, omitting dry sherry until later.

Continue cooking soup over low heat until beans are soft, about 3 hours. Stir occasionally and adding a small amount of water if beans become too thick. If soup is not thick enough, mash some of the beans to thicken.

Remove ham hocks from pot, cut meat from hocks, dicing into pieces and returning to beans. Add dry sherry at this point if you like. Heat just until hot, adjusting seasoning to your taste. Serve hot soup, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped onions as a garnish.

Note – Soaking methods:

1. To one pound of dry black beans, add 8 cups of water in a large stock pot.

Cover and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 1 hour. Drain the beans, discarding soaking water, rinse. Proceed with recipe.

2. Let rinsed, picked over black beans stand overnight in 10 cups water in large bowl. Drain the beans, discarding soaking water, rinse. Proceed with Black Bean Soup recipe.