Hearty Ham and Bean Medley

Why This Hearty Ham and Bean Medley Works

As the pot heats up, the onions and garlic soften in the olive oil and start to taste sweeter and milder. Carrots and celery go in next and begin to lose their crunch, so they blend better into the soup instead of staying hard little pieces. Once the chicken broth and ham hock are added and everything comes to a boil, the long simmer starts to do the real work.

Over time, the steady low heat loosens the meat on the ham hock. The meat slowly softens and soaks in the broth, and some of the smoky fat melts into the liquid. At the same time, the three kinds of beans sit in the hot broth and start to break down just a little on the outside. Their starch mixes into the soup, so the broth goes from thin and watery to thicker and more velvety.

By the time the ham is shredded and stirred back in, the vegetables are tender, the beans are creamy, and the broth has turned into a hearty, slightly thick soup that holds everything together in one spoonful.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the ham hock simmer for much less than an hour leaves the meat tight and hard to pull apart. The broth stays thin and watery, and the beans sit in a weak, flat-tasting liquid instead of a rich, hearty base.

Starting the onions and garlic on high heat easily burns the garlic before the onions soften. The tiny burnt bits spread through the pot and give the whole medley a harsh, bitter edge that doesn’t go away, even after a long simmer.

Adding salt early, before the ham hock has simmered and the broth has reduced, often leads to an overly salty pot. As the liquid cooks down and the salt from the smoked ham seeps out, the soup ends up sharp and hard to fix, even with extra water.

Skipping the rinse on the canned beans sends all the canning liquid straight into the pot. This can make the broth cloudy and slightly gummy, and the whole medley can feel heavier and more starchy than it should.