Directions

Chop ham into small cubes, about 1/2 inch on a side. When pouring beans into saucepan, do not discard fluid. It will become part of the soup. Add chopped ham and sufficient water to bring soup to desired consistency. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Ham and bean soup is generally served with fresh cornbread and butter. However, if cornbread is not available, other breads or crackers will do.

This flavorful and filling soup is a great way to use up a small amount of ham that is left over from a holiday dinner. It also scales very well -- my first introduction to it was at a free community meal served by a local church, which would have been prepared in large kettles using whole hams and institutional-sized cans of beans.

If canned beans are unavailable, dried navy beans or similar white beans can be substituted. They will need to be properly soaked and boiled before the soup is made, in order to break down certain chemicals that can cause stomach and intestinal upset.

Posted October 10, 2010.