Portuguese Bean Soup

Method6 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put all the smoked ham hocks (1.5 lb) in a large pot with 10 US cups water (2.5 US quarts). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 1½ hours, until the hock meat is cooked and pulls easily from the bones.

   Simmer ham-hock stock · 90 minUses 1.5 lb smoked ham hocks, about 4 pieces · 10 US cups water (2.5 US quarts) for the ham-hock stock

2. 2

   Step 2: Lift the cooked hocks onto a board or bowl, leaving their stock in the pot over low heat. Let the hocks cool for about 5–10 minutes, until safe to handle. Remove the meat and skin from the bones, dice them into small pieces, and set aside; discard the bones.

   Cool hocks for handling · 10 minUses Cooked ham hocks from stock

3. 3

   Step 3: Skim excess fat from the reserved ham-hock stock. Bring the stock back to a boil and add the entire can of diced tomatoes (1 can) and the entire can of tomato sauce (1 can).

   Uses Reserved ham-hock stock · 1 can diced tomatoes, labeled 15 oz · 1 can tomato sauce, labeled 15 oz

4. 4

   Step 4: Bring the tomato-enriched stock back to a boil. Return all the diced cooked hock meat and skin, then add the diced onion (1 large), carrots (2 large) and potatoes (2 large).

   Uses Tomato-enriched ham-hock stock · Diced cooked ham-hock meat and skin · 1 large onion, diced · 2 large carrots, diced · 2 large potatoes, diced

5. 5

   Step 5: Bring the soup back up to a boil. Add the two cans of kidney beans, the sliced 10 oz Portuguese sausage stick, the chopped cabbage (1 small head) and the 1 cup uncooked macaroni. Stir to distribute everything through the pot.

   Uses Soup with cooked hock meat and diced vegetables · 2 cans kidney beans, each labeled 15 oz · 1 Portuguese pork-sausage stick, 10 oz, sliced · 1 small head napa or green cabbage, chopped · 1 cup uncooked macaroni pasta

6. 6

   Step 6: Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the complete soup for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and potatoes are tender, the macaroni is cooked and the sausage is fully cooked. Check that the center of a sausage piece and the soup reach 165°F. Taste before adding salt and plenty of black pepper, then serve hot. Refrigerate extra soup promptly in smaller containers for 3–4 days, or freeze; reheat portions to 165°F.

   Finish bean soup · 30 minUses Complete soup before final simmer · Salt, to taste · Black pepper, to taste