Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup
Ham bone recipes crockpot cooks swear by usually end up as soup. This one simmers a leftover ham bone with white beans, carrots and onion until the beans are creamy and the broth tastes like smoke.
8
servings20
minutes9
hoursA leftover ham bone simmers with beans and vegetables until the soup is smoky and thick. Pull the meat off the bone at the end.
Ingredients
1 meaty ham bone, about 2 lb
1 lb dried great northern beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup diced leftover ham
Salt, to taste
Directions
- Rinse the soaked beans and add them to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.
- Nestle the ham bone on top.
- Pour in the water and broth, then add the bay leaves, thyme and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 5 to 6 hours.
- The beans should be fully soft with no chalky center.
- Lift out the ham bone and let it cool 10 minutes.
- Pull off the meat, discard the bone and fat, and chop the meat.
- Return the meat and the extra diced ham to the pot with the vinegar.
- Mash a cup of beans against the side of the pot to thicken, then taste and add salt only if needed.
Notes
- Do not add salt until the end, since ham is salty. Canned beans can replace dried ones, added in the last 2 hours. The soup keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes for 3 months. Serve with cornbread.
Why ham bone recipes belong in the crockpot
Ham bone recipes in the crockpot are the best thing about leftover ham. A meaty bone has marrow, collagen and a smoky, salty flavor that builds a broth no carton can match. The slow cooker holds it at a steady simmer for nine or ten hours without any watching.
Beans are the classic partner. They need long, gentle cooking to turn creamy, and they soak up the smoke and salt from the bone. By the time the beans are soft, the broth has turned thick, and the meat falls right off the bone. Use the bone from a baked ham, and freeze it right after the meal if you cannot cook it that day.
What to buy for this pot
Meaty ham bone: about 2 pounds, from a bone-in ham, with some meat still on it. A bone with no meat gives broth but not much else. The butcher counter often sells smoked ham hocks if you have no leftover bone.
Great northern beans: dried, soaked overnight and drained. They are mild and creamy. Navy beans or white beans also work. Always use dried beans, and never canned ones for this long a cook.
Onion, carrots and celery: they flavor the broth and give the soup some sweetness and body.
Bay leaves and thyme: they add a clean herbal note that balances the smoky ham.
Apple cider vinegar: a tablespoon at the end brightens the whole pot. It is a small step that makes a big difference.
Water and broth: eight cups of water plus two cups of low-sodium chicken broth keep the soup from tasting too ham-heavy. The bone gives the rest of the flavor.
Tips for creamy beans
Soak the beans: eight hours or overnight in cold water shortens the cooking time and makes the beans cook evenly. Drain and rinse before adding them to the pot.
Hold back the salt: the most common mistake is salting at the start. The ham bone is already salty, and the salt concentrates as the soup cooks. Taste at the end and add salt only if needed.
Mash some beans: take a cup of beans, crush them against the side of the pot, and stir them back in. It thickens the soup without flour or cream. Make sure the beans have no chalky center before you stop cooking. If the beans are still firm after 10 hours, your beans may be old, so give them another hour.
Easy swaps, and one to avoid
Use a smoked ham hock or smoked turkey leg in place of the bone. Swap the beans for split peas, which cook in about 6 hours on LOW and break down into a thick soup. Add a diced potato or a can of diced tomatoes. A pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce at the end adds a kick.
Adding acidic ingredients like tomatoes at the start does not work with dried beans, since the acid keeps the skins hard. Add them in the last hour.
Serving ideas
Cornbread is the classic side, and a pat of butter on top never hurts. A green salad or sauteed greens lighten the meal. Serve the soup in big bowls with hot sauce or chopped green onions on the table. A little pickled jalapeno or a splash of vinegar-based hot sauce is a good match for the beans.
Leftovers and make-ahead
Store the soup in the fridge for up to 5 days. It thickens as it chills, so thin it with a splash of water or broth when you reheat.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat on the stove until it is steaming hot. Beans freeze well, so this is a good soup to make in a big batch.
Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 9 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by meaty ham bone, dried great northern beans, yellow onion, carrots
Tips for Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup
Do not add salt until the end, since ham is salty. Canned beans can replace dried ones, added in the last 2 hours. The soup keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes for 3 months. Serve with cornbread.
Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup FAQ
How long does Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup take?
Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup takes 9 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Ham Bone and Bean Soup?
14 ingredients, led by meaty ham bone, dried great northern beans, yellow onion, carrots. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
