Okay, so yesterday I was craving something warm and comforting, and I had a leftover ham bone from the holidays sitting in my freezer. That’s when it hit me: Ham and Pinto Bean Soup! I’ve made this a few times before, but this time I decided to really document it, you know, for posterity (and maybe to help you guys out!).
First, I thawed that ham bone overnight in the fridge. Safety first, people! Once it was thawed, I grabbed my biggest stockpot – the one I usually use for big batches of chili. I tossed the ham bone in there, then filled the pot with about 12 cups of water. I just eyeballed it, really, enough to cover the bone by a few inches.
I brought that to a boil, then immediately turned the heat down to a simmer. You want it just barely bubbling, like a gentle jacuzzi for your ham bone. I let that go for about an hour, just to get all that good ham flavor into the broth.
Prepping the other Goodies
While the broth was simmering, I got busy with the other ingredients. I rinsed about a pound of dried pinto beans. Make sure you pick through them too, sometimes little stones sneak in. Nobody wants a chipped tooth!
Then came the chopping. I diced up one large onion, two carrots, and two celery stalks. I like my veggies kind of chunky in this soup, but you do you. I also minced about four cloves of garlic. Because garlic makes everything better.
Putting It All Together
- After the broth had simmered for an hour, I took out the ham bone and set it aside to cool.
- Then, I added the rinsed pinto beans, the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and the minced garlic to the pot.
- I also threw in a bay leaf, a teaspoon of dried thyme, half a teaspoon of smoked paprika (this is key for that smoky flavor!), and a good pinch of black pepper. No salt yet – the ham bone usually adds enough saltiness.
- I stirred everything up, brought it back to a boil, then reduced the heat to a simmer again.
I let that simmer for another hour and a half, or until the beans were nice and tender. You might need to add more water if it starts to get too thick. Just keep an eye on it.
The Finishing Touches
Once the beans were cooked, I took out the bay leaf. Don’t want to accidentally eat that!
Then, I got to work on the ham. I shredded all the meat off the bone, discarding any big chunks of fat. I added the shredded ham back to the soup. I stirred it all in and let it heat through for about 10 minutes.
Finally, I gave it a taste. At this point, I added a little salt, but it really didn’t need much. I also added a squeeze of lemon juice – it brightens up the flavors and adds a nice little zing.
And that’s it! I ladled myself a big bowl, topped it with a dollop of sour cream (totally optional, but so good!), and dug in. It was exactly what I was craving – hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a chilly evening. Definitely making this again soon!
