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Ham & String Bean Soup Recipe

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Michigan got back in the win column on Saturday, beating Indiana, 29-7. It wasn’t a run-up-the-score type win, but on a day in which many of the Top 10 struggled, Michigan took care of business convincingly.

This week, Michigan travels to State College, Penn. to face another Big Ten East foe, Penn State. Many picked the Nittany Lions to challenge for the conference title, but they come into Saturday’s matchup with a 6-3 record. They started the season 5-0 before dropping three straight to Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio State. This past Saturday, they bounced back with a 31-14 win over Maryland.

For this week’s Tailgate Tuesday, I once again make a loose connection to Michigan’s opponent. Since the holidays are coming up, I wanted to post a recipe that can be made around the holidays, and ham and string bean soup fit the bill.

It has its roots in Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine and I have family that came from that area. I took some liberties to make it more of a barbecue style, which really makes it two recipes (and two meals) in one: double-smoked ham, and then soup with the leftovers.

Double-smoked ham

Recipe 1: Double-Smoked Ham

Double-smoked ham is one of my favorite meats to smoke because it’s easy, it doesn’t take very long (compared to pulled pork, brisket, etc.), and it produces fantastic results.

You want to use a spiral ham. It has already been smoked by the processing plant, which is why this recipe is called “double-smoked” and it doesn’t really matter which kind you buy. Usually they come with a flavor packet, but just throw that away.

Fire up your smoker to 250 degrees using indirect heat and your choice of wood. I went with cherry, but you can also use hickory, pecan, or any fruit wood.

While your smoker is coming up to temperature, unwrap your ham. Place it on a wire rack and slather it in yellow mustard. This is just a binder to help the rub stick to the meat; you won’t taste it. Now, cover with your Down With the Swine rub.

Once your smoker is running at 250 with clean smoke, place your ham on the grate and close the lid. Let go for about an hour and a half.

At this point, it should be darkening and taking on some smoke flavor. Remember, it’s technically already cooked, so all you are doing is heating it up and imparting more smoke flavor into it.

Transfer it to a foil pan. You could also use a large cast iron skillet. Pour about half a carton of chicken stock in and cover it in foil. Continue cooking for about another hour. At this point, your ham should be around 135-140 degrees internal.

Uncover the foil and pour your Up North Barbecue Sauce over top. Let it run down all sides so it is covered with sauce. Smoke for another 15-20 minutes until the sauce has set. Remove, slice, and eat.

Save the bone and leftover ham for tomorrow’s meal.

Ham & Bean Soup

Recipe 2: Ham & String Bean Soup

In a large Dutch oven, sauté a diced yellow onion over medium-low heat until soft and translucent. Add 3-4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute.

Add in a bag of frozen green beans, 2-3 cups of chopped red potatoes, 8 cups of chicken stock, and your leftover ham (including the bones). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours. Be sure to stir periodically.

When you are ready to eat, cook a box of bowtie pasta according to the directions on the box and then stir it into the soup. Serve hot.

The flavors you get from the double-smoked ham are fantastic.

This soup also makes amazing leftovers the following day.

Ham & String Bean Soup

A barbecue twist on the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch ham and string bean soup, this 2-in-1 recipe uses double-smoked ham leftovers.

  • Smoker
  • Dutch oven
  • 1 Spiral ham
  • Yellow mustard (for binder)
  • Down With the Swine rub
  • ½ carton Chicken stock
  • Up North Barbecue Sauce
  • 1 Yellow onion (diced)
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 bag Frozen green beans
  • 2-3 cups Red potatoes (cubed)
  • 8 cups Chicken stock
  • 1 box Bowtie pasta

For the Double-Smoked Ham

  1. Fire up your smoker to 250 degrees using indirect heat and your choice of wood.

  2. Unwrap your spiral ham from its packaging and discard the flavor packet that comes with it.

  3. Slather the ham with yellow mustard, then coat it with your Down With the Swine rub.

  4. When your smoker is up to temp, place the ham on the grate and let smoke for 1.5 hours.

  5. Transfer to a half foil pan (or cast iron skillet), pour in about a half carton of chicken stock, cover with foil, and cook for another hour.

  6. Remove foil and pour your Up North Barbecue Sauce over top, letting it run down all sides. Smoke for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce has set.

  7. Remove from the smoker, slice, and serve. Save the bone and leftovers for tomorrow.

For the Ham & String Bean Soup

  1. In a large Dutch oven, sauté your diced onion over medium-low heat until soft and translucent. Add in 3-4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute.

  2. Add a bag of frozen green beans, 2-3 cups of cubed red potatoes, 8 cups of chicken stock, and the leftover ham, including the bones.

  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

  4. When ready to eat, cook bowtie pasta to al dente according to directions on the packaging. Add to the soup and serve.

Soup
American
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