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Instant Pot Ham and Navy Bean Soup

Instant Pot Ham and Navy Bean Soup


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Its gotten cold here recently, and after browsing through my tried and true soup recipes I just wasn't feeling anything familiar.  Actually, that wasn't true.  I wanted something that felt familiar, but wasn't something I'd tried before.  Something as hearty as a nice potato soup, but with a bit more complexity.  

 While researching options for leftover ham use in preparation for the holidays I came across several recipes for Ham and Bean Soup, and my stomach made the decision for me.  Other than bacon and its other cured cousins, I have to admit that I don't cook with a whole lot pork.  I don't know if I was somehow traumatized by a pig in my youth, but I've just never been all that fond of the protein. I've always been a bit lukewarm about ham, but Malcolm is crazy for it.  Since it can be found relatively cheaply when shopping the sales I decided that now might be the right time to add ham to my repertoire in more ways than just the holiday roast or as filling in a sandwich.  

 To give credit where its due, I did use this recipe from Home Made Interest as a jumping off point to get a feel for the ideal ratios of ham, beans, and water.  I like my soup with a bit more seasoning, but that's probably because I live in Texas where we season the heck out of everything. If you're interested in stove-top instructions I highly recommend that you visit their site and use the instructions detailed there as I've only tried this recipe using the Instant Pot and so I wouldn't feel right about including those instructions in this recipe.  

 Lastly, I highly recommend that you serve this with cornbread.  There's something about the way the cornbread taste marries with the savoriness of the ham that just makes this a completely necessary side.  I just use Jiffy.  Over the years I've tried "from scratch" recipes and none have given me any better results than just using a box of Jiffy.  I'm not in any way paid by them at the time of this blog, they just have a good product.  Its easy, its fast, its consistent, and I can keep a box in my pantry for whenever I need it for the low low cost of about 50 cents.

Ham and Navy Bean Soup 

Makes: About 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ham, cubed (Use "tavern" or "off the bone" ham. Nothing sweetened)
  • Optional: Ham Bone with meat on it (if you can get one)
  • 16 ounces Dried Navy beans
  • 8 cups chicken or beef broth
  • 1/2 large onion, diced or 1 whole small onion, diced
  • 1/2 tbsp beef or chicken bouillon base
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • salt to taste (will depend on the ham's salt content)
  • Optional: 1 potato, cut into cubes.  This isn't necessary, but I just really like potatoes in soup.
  • 3 tbsp butter (for roux)
  • 2 tbsp flour (for roux)

Instructions

  1. Wash your beans. 
  2. Place all ingredients except for those in the roux in the Instant Pot. Add the broth last so you can make sure that the water doesn't go past the fill line.  
  3. Lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and set to high pressure for 90 minutes.  
  4. When the timer goes off release the pressure manually. 
  5. Remove the lid. Then remove the ham bone, pulling off any meat that has not already detached from the bone. 
  6. Melt the butter in a saute pan. Then add the flour and keep it moving in the pan until a slightly dark roux forms.  
  7. Add the roux to the soup and stir until well combined. 
  8. Serve with cornbread and maybe garnish with a little cheese or green onion. Enjoy!
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