“Just Like Lubbock” Navy Bean Soup

We used to eat at this little restaurant off of Slide and 34th in Lubbock and they had what I thought was the best Navy Bean Soup that they served with Cornbread. I think I found a recipe almost identical.

Salt and pepper

1 lb. (2 ½ cups) navy beans, picked over and rinsed

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 celery ribs, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 whole cloves (the little black knobby things, NOT more garlic!)

2 (12 oz.) smoked ham hocks

8 oz. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ inch pieces

1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Dissolve 3 Tbsp. salt in 4 qts. cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, and 1 tsp. salt and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer onion mixture to bowl.

Insert cloves into skin of 1 ham hock. Add 8 cups water, ham hocks, and beans to now-empty pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, covered with lid slightly ajar, until beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir potatoes and onion mixture into soup and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes; remove pot from heat. Transfer ham hocks to cutting board and let cool slightly. Discard cloves, then shred meat, discarding bones and skin. (I only like to use the meat of 1 of the ham hocks because 2 is too much for me).

Using potato masher, gently mash beans and potatoes until soup is creamy and lightly thickened, 8 to 10 strokes. Add ½ tsp. pepper and shredded meat and return to simmer over medium heat. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6 to 8. Whip up some cornbread and you have a satisfying meal!