4 cups of chicken stock
4 cups of water
1-2 pound ham hock or ham bone
1-2 pound ham shank
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1-2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 bay leaves
4-6 bacon strips
hot sauce (optional)
chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
corn bread (optional)
Heat two tablespoons of oil and two tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add your carrots, onions and celery and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add everything else except the beans and bring it all to a boil. Turn the temperature down to low and simmer it for an hour, stirring throughout. Add your beans as well and bring everything to a boil. Next, bring it down to low again and simmer it for two hours, stirring occasionally. Take the meat off the bones and get rid of the bones. Add the meat back to the stock pot. When you’re ready to serve, take out the bacon strips and bay leaves and top with cilantro, parsley or hot sauce!