Smoky Navy Bean Soup

Delicious Fall.  Beans, ham hocks, chicken stock and crispy bacon.  Yep.  It's pretty tasty.  Get yourself some piggy knuckles and have at it.  I don't know why they call them 'navy beans' when they're white.  Anyway, puree this soup or leave it a bit brothy.  Either way, be sure to save the meat from the ham hocks and add back to the soup.  You can sub canned (rinsed well) beans for the dried variety.  This is a recipe when fresh stock matters since there are so few ingredients!  Yes, that is a light reflected in the picture.  I couldn't make it go away.  Ignore it and get cooking.

Makes a huge batch.

16 cups or so of fresh chicken stock 
20 ounces dried navy beans (great northern, small white beans)
6 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 smoked ham hocks
2-3 Tbs safflower or olive oil
5-6 strips bacon (optional)
Salt to taste

Prep beans:
If using dried, add beans and water (enough to cover by three inches or so).  Bring to a boil for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cover, 1 hour.
Drain beans and rinse well.  Reserve for soup.

Prep the soup:

1.  Heat safflower of canola oil in large soup pot over a medium flame.
2.  Add onions and celery and cook until onions are translucent.  Add ham hocks and stock.  Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for about 1 hour.
3.  Add beans to pot and continue simmering until beans are tender, about an hour more.  If you are using canned beans, do not simmer for longer then 20-30 minutes, otherwise the beans will fall apart.
4.  Remove ham hocks and shred meat from the bone.  Discard fat and bones.  Add shredded meat back to the pot.
5.  Fry a few pieces of bacon and chop.  Ladle soup into a bowl or mug  (as you normally would when eating soup) top with the bacon.

Bingo. Navy bean soup.

Enjoy and Happy Fall!

MJM