Note: I always look forward to navy bean soup when I need to use up the extra holiday ham. The smell of bean soup cooking during the day is so comforting and appetizing. This recipe is actually a combination of two recipes, with a touch of my own flavor preference. It started with Southern Foods Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup recipe, but it needed more flavor, so I sauteed the onion in butter first as suggested in the Senate Famous Navy Bean Soup recipe (served in The Senate Restaurant, Washington DC).
1 pound dry navy beans
5 c. water
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T butter
1 (3/4 pound) ham hock, a meaty ham bone, or several pieces of boneless ham
garlic salt, pepper, and Tony Cachere's to taste
PREPARATION:
Put beans in Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Let it rest for one hour. Drain. Put beans in Dutch oven and cover with water; simmer for about 30 minutes. Saute onion in butter. Place all ingredients in a 3 to 5-quart slow cooker. Add additional water if needed. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours. If using ham hocks or a meaty ham bone, remove after meat becomes tender. Let it cool. Then remove meat from bone, dice the meat and return to soup. Serve with cornbread.
