Help needed with bean soup

[Lefty7887]

I have a big ham bone with plenty of meat on it and a bag of pinto beans that have been pre-soaked in the crock pot with an onion some garlic red bell pepper chicken stock salt and pepper and a bay leaf. My question is what herbs would go good with this? I did some googling and the only other thing I saw was mustard powder. Thoughts? I also am considering putting in some sazon (goya) into it to give it the rich earthy flavor, what do you guys think?


BTW, Merry Christmas

[Katie H]

Good morning, Lefty, and Merry Christmas back at ya!

One thing you might consider is adding some chopped jalapenos to your soup. I put them in my black bean soup and they add a nice kick. I just use the jarred pickled ones. I serve it with a dollop of sour cream on top and chopped cooked bacon.

Nothin' like a nice big pot of soup that begins with a big ham hock! Hope your soup turns out tasty.

[larry_stewart]

Ive always put thyme in my bean soup. But on the other hand, being a veggie, I dont use a ham bone.

[Lefty7887]

Originally Posted by Katie E

Good morning, Lefty, and Merry Christmas back at ya!

One thing you might consider is adding some chopped jalapenos to your soup. I put them in my black bean soup and they add a nice kick. I just use the jarred pickled ones. I serve it with a dollop of sour cream on top and chopped cooked bacon.

Nothin' like a nice big pot of soup that begins with a big ham hock! Hope your soup turns out tasty.

Originally Posted by larry_stewart

Ive always put thyme in my bean soup. But on the other hand, being a veggie, I dont use a ham bone.

I have some jalapenos around somewhere I think its a good idea.

I also thought of thyme. Thanks

[GotGarlic]

Alton Brown puts a tbsp. of miso paste in his split-pea soup recipe for some depth of flavor. DH likes it a lot (split-pea isn't my fave type of soup).

[Lefty7887]

edit, I meant sofrito not sazon.

[Lefty7887]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

Alton Brown puts a tbsp. of miso paste in his split-pea soup recipe for some depth of flavor. DH likes it a lot (split-pea isn't my fave type of soup).

I just had to google that. Fermented soy bean paste. Sounds interesting though I don't have it on hand.

[JustMeToo]

When I make bean soup, I add a can of stewed tomato, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onion, thyme, S & P.
I made pea soup last week, came out Yummy!

[smoothseas]

Originally Posted by Lefty7887

edit, I meant sofrito not sazon.

Definately, sofrito. Also, I add a small dash of ground clove.

[Lefty7887]

Originally Posted by smoothseas

Definately, sofrito. Also, I add a small dash of ground clove.

I love adding sofrito to beans and soups. I add sazon to rice to give it a nice color and great flavor.

[mcnerd]

When using pinto beans I tend to add tomatoes, cumin, oregeno, garlic clove and the previously mentioned jalapeno.

[GrillingFool]

And a splash of vinegar in the bowl when it is time to eat. YUM!

[ken_tireman]

Hi, and merry christmas, just came across this post. A few herbs that might work, would be fresh parsley, saffron, cilantro and thyme.

savory-soup-recipes.com might help you with finding more.

[Wart]

I think the bone should be simmered for 6 ~ 8 ~ 10 hours before adding the beans.

[mcnerd]

Ham hock/bone goes in at the same time as the beans and other spices for flavoring. You're not cooking the bone, but extracting the flavors from it.

[Wart]

Extended cooking/simmering is required to extract the gelatin/collagen.

That amount of time tends to turn beans mushy, and tends to diminish the spices, etc, especially the aromatics.

[JustMeToo]

I put my beans and bone/hock in at the same time, but I don't soak my beans first.

[larry_stewart]

There was one soup I made which had me take a scoop of the beans and broth out( when they were soft enough). Blend them. Then add them back to the soup. This way, You can use it as a thickener,without letting the soup cook for hours and turn to mush. Kinda gives you the best of both worlds. Whole beans in the soup to eat plus the pea soup-like thickness as a base. Unless it is that pea-soup uniform thickness your looking for, then let simmer away...

[JustMeToo]

Good idea.

[Wyogal]

I just made some bean soup the other night; I use thyme as well. Other than a bay leaf, I try to keep it pretty simple if I'm using leftover ham. I cooked ham with a mustard honey glaze, so some of that flavoring is in the pot. I'll add a diced mirepoix. I also used a different bean, a good Mexican bean. So, I could go beans and cornbread simple, or easily add jalapeno and cilantro for a different taste.
I usually make a ham stock with the bone, then clean the meat/bone. Strain. Then will add the beans (soaked, or quick "soak" ) to cook, along with the cleaned bone. I'll add the meat, and add the diced vegetable according to their cooking time.