Vaquero Bean Soup

By Leslie Blythe  , ,   , ,

December 28, 2020

I love using a leftover ham hock to make soup. I also happen to have some Rancho Gordo Vaquero beans. If you don't know about Rancho Gordo, then you need to check them out. You can substitute other beans for this soup, like black beans. I have given you the recipe for 3 cooking methods - Instant Pot (which is what I did), Slow Cooker or stovetop. Before serving, I love adding a splash of sherry vinegar, which brightens it up and add a burst of flavor.

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Yields: 10 Servings

Ingredients

1 ham hock

1 pound dried vaquero beans

6 cups low sodium chicken broth or water

1 medium onion, diced

1½ cups celery, diced

1½ cups carrots, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar

Directions

Instant Pot Instructions

1Combine all ingredients into the liner of the pressure cooker and stir. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and make sure the valve is in the closed position.

2Use the Bean/Chili setting for 50 minutes (or HIGH pressure). Let the pressure naturally release when finished cooking for 30 minutes, then carefully release the pressure the rest of the way.

3Remove the ham bone from the pressure cooker and shred any meat and return it to the pot. Discard the bone along with the two bay leaves. Before serving add the sherry wine vinegar.

Slow Cooker Instructions

1Soak your beans overnight in a few inches of cold water. Drain the beans and add to your slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove ham bone and shred any ham and return to slow cooker. Discard bone and bay leaves. Before serving add the sherry wine vinegar.

Stovetop Instructions

1Soak the beans for 4 hours in water.

2Sauté the vegetables in olive oil. When softened and fragrant, add the beans in their soaking water, and the rest of the ingredients and cover with cold water.

3Bring to a strong boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until beans are desired texture. This took about 1.5 hours. Remove ham hock and shred any ham and return to slow cooker. Discard the ham hock along with the two bay leaves. Before serving add the sherry wine vinegar.

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