Grandma'S Navy Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. Michigan navy beans
1 1/2 to 2 lb. smoked ham hocks or leftover ham with or without bones
2 qt. water
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 c. vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. diced onions
1 c. carrots, cut in chunks
1 1/2 c. potatoes, cut in chunks

Preparation

Soak beans overnight in water to cover (2 inches above beans). Drain; add 2 quarts of water, ham hocks, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and onions.
Bring to boil.
Lower heat; cover and simmer for about three hours.
After soup has simmered for about one hour, add the potatoes and carrots.
When they are tender, scoop out and save, to be added to soup before serving.
After simmering for about two hours, the meat starts to loosen from the bones.
Remove ham hocks and cut meat from bones into chunks and return to soup to continue cooking.
Continue cooking soup until beans are done and soup starts to thicken.
Add potatoes and carrots to soup shortly before serving.
Serves four to six people.