Friday Fun Farm Facts--Dry Beans

Michigan producers grow several classes of dry beans, including Black Beans, Cranberry Beans, Great Northern Beans, Red Kidney Beans, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, and Yellow Eye Beans.

Huron County is one of the top dry bean producing counties in the Country.

Every day, "Michigan Bean Soup" is served at the U.S. Senate dining room in Washington, DC, dating back to 1904.

Michigan Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound (2 cups) dry Navy Beans
1 meaty ham bone or 1-1/2 pounds ham hocks

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup mashed potato flakes or 1-1/2 cups mashed potatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon each, nutmeg, oregano, and basil

1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Wash and sort beans. In a large kettle, cover beans with 6 to 8 cups of hot water. Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Add another 2 quarts of cold water and ham bone. Bring to a boil; simmer 1-1/2 hours. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Remove ham bone, trim off meat, return to soup. Makes about 3 quarts.