Hard to believe that Christmas is next week and yet it is. Another year has almost come and gone. Have you gotten all of your Christmas shopping done yet? We usually just do gift cards or cash, so I didn’t really have any items to buy. Since our nieces and nephews are older now, I think it just makes more sense to let them pick out their own gift. Man, I sure do miss all the fun shopping we used to do when they were little though. We don’t have any kids of our own, so that was especially fun for us.
So, what’s on the menu for Christmas dinner this year for you guys? Turkey? Ham? Both? I’m not a big turkey fan, so I would usually choose ham if both were served. Most people usually have a bunch of leftovers after the big day. If you need a great way to transform your Christmas ham leftovers, this Slow Cooker White Bean and Ham Soup is a great option.
The slow cooker does all of the work for you, which I’m sure you’ll appreciate after all of the cooking you’ve done preparing the holiday meal.
Great Northern beans are one of my absolute favorites. I remember my mom making them when we were kids, and I just loved them. Before I started really cooking, I would heat up a can of them occasionally when I was craving home cooking. Definitely not anywhere near the same, but it was the best I could manage at the time.
Fortunately, I’m able to make my own from scratch now, and they are SO much better than canned! Especially when they are slow cooked with ham!
I didn’t cook a ham, so I didn’t have a leftover ham hock or bone to use. If you are using leftovers from your Christmas ham, feel free to toss that into the crock pot, too. I used an applewood smoked uncured ham steak from Niman Ranch. So, this doesn’t have to be just a recipe to use for your holiday leftovers. You can make it anytime of year. Just buy about a one pound ham steak and cut it into cubes. The one I used was 1.13 pounds.
I realized after I took my pictures that I had forgotten to add black pepper to the slow cooker. I couldn’t believe I forgot because I always have to have a bunch of black pepper in my northern beans. Oh, and a nice big slice of cornbread, too!
If you don’t happen to have a crockpot already, the one I’m currently using and love is the Rival 5-quart Round Crock Pot. My mom gave me hers when she was downsizing her kitchen appliances, and it’s the best one I’ve had.
Pictures updated November 2, 2016.
Slow Cooker White Bean and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) bag of great northern beans
- water
- 4 cups of cubed ham
- 1 large yellow onion , minced
- 5 cloves of garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups of water
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sort the beans, discarding any broken beans and rocks. Place beans into a 5 or 6 quart crock pot. Cover with water by 2 inches above the beanas. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, then place back into the crock pot.
- Add the onions, garlic, black pepper and rosemary to the crock pot. Add the cubed ham, then pour the water and chicken stock over the ham. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Stir well before serving.