Ham Bone And Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package 15-bean soup mix
6 cups chicken stock
1 ham bone with some meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped ham
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard powder
salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)

Preparation

Place bean mix into a large bowl and cover with several inches of water; soak for at least 24 hours. Drain completely.
Bring chicken stock to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the beans and, eventually, the ham bone. Add the soaked beans; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
Bring stock and beans back to a boil. Add ham bone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 1 hour. Add chopped ham, liquid smoke, and mustard powder. Stir and let simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes more.
Remove ham bone from the soup. Season with salt and pepper.