1 pound dry Great Northern beans
8 cups of water to soak bean ( will discard before adding vegetables and ham hock)
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
½ tsp salt
1 meaty ham hock
2 cup chopped carrots
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp. mustard powder
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped ham
½ tsp white pepper
Rinse beans and discard broken or discolored beans.
In a large pot, over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and beans and remove from heat.
Let the beans sit in hot water for at least 60 minutes.
After soaking for an hour, discard the water the beans soaked in.
Replace the water with the 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of water. (If you like a thicker soup, puree about 1/3 of the beans with some liquid and return to the pot)
Place the pot back on the stove – on high heat – bring to a boil and add the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard and bay leaves.
Stir well, bring it back to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer at least another hour.
Remove the ham bone and discard.
Stir in the chopped ham and simmer for another 30 minutes or more.
Season with white pepper to taste.
Serve with chopped onion and ketchup
( I personally detest ketchup but many in my neck of the woods eat it this way)
