Pink Bean Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 lb pink beans
• 3 -5 slices bacon
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 3/4 cup diced carrot
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 10 -12 ounces ham hocks
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 quarts water
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 rinse the beans, checking for stones and debris.
• 2 soak beans overnight.
• 3 saute bacon until crisp, drain.
• 4 add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to bacon grease.
• 5 saute 5-10minutes.
• 6 drain beans.
• 7 put in bean soup pot along with carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
• 8 add the cooked bacon.
• 9 add the ham hock, tomato sauce and water.
• 10 bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2 1/2 hours until beans are soft.
• 11 remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone.
• 12 chop and return meat to the soup.
• 13 remove 1/4th to 1/3rd of the beans, mash or puree.
• 14 return to pot and simmer another 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 15 skim off unwanted grease.
• 16 season with salt and pepper.
• 17 serve.