Editor’s Note (October 2, 2018): Added new photos. Updated recipe’s instructions. See step #6.
Once or twice a week since childhood, I have enjoyed a heaping bowl of beans and crusty cornbread. It never gets old and boring. ALWAYS delicious!
TIP #1. Remove gas and shorten cooking time by soaking beans in water before boiling.
TIP #2. Soak overnight if you prefer very soft beans.
TIP #3. For firm beans (soft inside, not crunchy), soak 4 to 8 hours before boiling to desired tenderness.
TIP #4. To make a pretty presentation, serve a bowl of soup in the center of a Cornbread Bundt Cake. Also makes a creative “savory” birthday gift.
I made this hearty soup with a package of 15 Bean Soup (dry beans) provided by Hurst’s Beans. Dry beans are available in most grocery stores on the same aisle as rice and grains. Some aisles are clearly labeled “Rice and Dry Beans.”
Boiled the soup in my pretty blue dutch oven provided by Lodge Manufacturing. With proper care, this efficient beauty will last for many, many years.
Enjoy the recipe with some crusty Homemade Self-Rising Cornbread!