Ingredients:

3/4 stick of unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 stalks celery, minced

1 1 lb. bag generic 15 bean soup mix (discard seasoning!)

2 bay leaves

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed with a potato masher

3 sugar cured ham hocks (ours were from Suncrest Farms in Wilkesboro, NC)

1 Tbsp minced parsley

1 tsp minced rosemary

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 pinch cinnamon

1/2 Cup Original Cackalacky Spice Sauce

approximately 10 cups water

*Salt, to taste

 

Directions:

*Prep the beans. In a large stock pot, sauté onion, celery, and ham hocks in the butter. Add the garlic at the end of the sauté - being careful to not burn the garlic. Add a quick splash of white wine and deglaze the fond from the bottom of the pot. Then, add water and assemble the soup! Bring to boil, cover and let simmer for about three hours. Stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

 

*Cooks's notes: We didn't add any salt to this dish, as the ham truly seasoned the soup to the perfect level of salinity. We employed the "quick soak" bean prep method.