McGuire's Senate Bean Soup
McGuire’s Irish Pub Senate Bean Soup is a delicious and satisfying meal that’s easy to make at home. This inexpensive soup is packed with nutrition and flavor.Get ready to impress your friends and family with this wonderful homemade soup. It’s friendly on the wallet and the taste buds. And if you ever find yourself in Pensacola or Destin, FL, be sure to stop by McGuire’s Irish Pub and try it there!
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 large bowl
- 1 strainer
- 1 cutting board
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried navy beans
- 4 pints water
- 1 pcs bay leaf
- 1 pcs ham bone large
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 pcs celery including leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 pcs carrots large
- 3 pcs whole cloves
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 16 turns black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Rinse 1 pound of dried navy beans, discarding any dark-colored beans. Put the beans in a large bowl or a large stockpot. Add 4 pints of cold water. Let the beans soak overnight, covered.
- After soaking, drain the beans using a strainer.
- Peel and chop the carrots, onion, and celery.
- Place the drained beans in a large pot with a large ham bone, preferably with bits of meat left on it. Add water so that it is about 2 inches above the ingredients.
- Take a piece of cheesecloth and place 1 bay leaf and 3 whole cloves in the center. Bring the four corners together and wrap kitchen twine around the corners to create a pouch.
- Add the spice pouch, onion, celery, carrots, salt, and fresh ground pepper to the pot.
- Boil using medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the. Leave the lid ajar. Stir occasionally.
- The beans must become tender. The meat should start falling off the bone. That usually takes about 3 hours.
- Cut the meat into small pieces and add it back to the soup.
- Serve with chopped fresh parsley on top (optional).
Video
Notes
- If you want a creamier soup, blend some of the beans before serving.
- If you have trouble getting the beans to soften, add a pinch of baking soda to the cooking water.
- You can experiment with variations or substitutions for ingredients such as canned beans, smoked ham hocks, smoked turkey leg, bacon, pancetta, corned beef, sausage, or even vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- For extra flavor, add garlic or different types of onions.
- This soup can be frozen. Let it cool down before freezing and it will last about 3 months.
- You can make this soup in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. In a slow cooker, cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. In an Instant Pot, use the "Soup" setting.
- Serve this hearty soup with a crusty loaf of fresh bread. Rye bread or French bread works great.
- Remember, navy beans, also known as haricot beans, pea beans, or Boston beans, got their name as they were a staple food of the U.S. Navy in the early 20th century.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!