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Texas 'Bean Barn' Soup


This winter we drove down to Texas in search of warmer weather. We discovered and enjoyed this soup at the 'Bean Barn', a wonderful little place at the flea market that sells delicious bean soup, chili and cornbread! The couple who manage this 'barn' give 100% of their sales to missions. They were a delight to chat with! I told them about our blog and our cook books and that we give our author royalties from the cook books to missions as well. And when I asked for the recipe for the bean soup and if I could share it with you he said by all means..all to the glory of God!
I had to downsize the recipe of course and I changed up the amounts a bit but the taste is as wonderful as I remembered.

  • 1 1/2 cups of Great Northern Beans or you can use navy beans 
  • Water
  • 2 cups of ham, fully cooked and cut in cubes
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 
  • 2 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce..Note: if you don't like it too spicy start with less, you can add or subtract according to your taste.
  1. Cover beans with cold water and soak for at least 6 hours.
  2. Strain beans, place in a large pot and cover with hot water, adding enough water so it's approx one inch above the beans.
  3. Bring to boil over high heat.
  4. Pour beans with the water into a slow cooker and cook  4 hours on low or until beans are tender.
  5. Stir in salt, cubed ham, brown sugar and hot sauce.
  6. Continue cooking on low until well heated through, approx another 30 minutes.
  7. Enjoy with corn bread.


11 comments:

  1. This sounds delicious! Could you let me know where this restaurant is located?

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    Replies
    1. It's at the Don-Wes flea market in the Rio Grande Valley.

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  2. About how many do you think this serves? We take meals to the Ronald McDonald house once a month and soups are in our rotation a couple of times a year. Thank you..sounds fantastic!!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry I didn't measure the amount of soup, I'm guessing it would serve 10.

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    2. I made this yesterday but didn't get around to eating any til today. Had it for lunch and it was yummy but QUITE spicy!!! And I LIVE in Texas and am used to spicy but if I do wind up taking to Ronald McDonald, would definitely have to cut the hot sauce. Maybe just a couple of quick shakes and no more as a lot of the kids don't/can't do spicy. Thanks for the recipe!

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  3. Thanks for sharing this, Betty! Its one of my most favorite soups!

    Jo in MN

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  4. This is terrific and it's so neat that you met these folks. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  5. Do you have the actual recipe they gave you before downsizing? I see they were cooking it in a roaster. I'd like that recipe. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Just do this recipe times 4, that would be the actual recipe for an 18 quart roaster.

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  6. Never heard of bean soup with brown sugar added in..am curious, purpose of brown sugar in this recipe. Sounds delicious but I'd have to leave the hot sauce out or I'd end up in ER that night or day.

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    Replies
    1. Brown sugar enhances the flavor of beans and ham. That's the only purpose I can think of for adding it to the soup..

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