That's Some Good Cookin

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo, Ham, and Bacon

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Black Bean Soup with Chorizo, Ham, and Bacon 006

Did you know that Post-It Notes were an accident? Yep, a happy, happy accident. Some chemists (one chemist?) was working on a new glue and by happenstance ended up with the magic stick/un-stick wonder of Post-Its.

This soup is a happy accident for me. It all began because my husband had requested that I make something with chorizo for dinner. The request left me stumped because I have only used chorizo a time or two – I’ve wanted to use it, but just didn’t know all that much about it  except that it was used in Mexican cooking. So, I went on a Google adventure. I found a recipe on All-Recipes for Charro Beans or “Mexican pork and beans” and which used chorizo. Since it was supposed to be used as a side dish, I was also trying to think of a main dish to fill out the menu. The more I thought about the recipe, the more I thought of it as a main instead of a side.

As I began to assemble the dish, I started making changes. Finally it occurred to me that what I was really making was a soup that was hearty enough to be rib sticking and would work really well with a simple side of cornbread. Plus, I could make it in my crockpot. Happy, happy.

Cook’s Note: There are several types of Chorizo on the market. Be sure to get Mexican chorizo because it is the right consistency and is seasoned with red chiles.

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo, Ham, and Bacon
Print Recipe

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo, Ham, and Bacon

This hearty soup (or chili if you deside to make it thick) is brought to life by ham, chorizo, black beans and as much heat as you can take! Top it with sour cream and some chopped cilantro for a touch of flare and another layer of flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

  • 1 ham steak, about 14-16 ounces weight, medium diced
  • 1 8-10 ounce package Mexican chorizo (I used ground chorizo, not the link-sausage type of chorizo. If you choose a link-style, be sure to take it out of the casing first.)
  • 6 slices bacon, rough chopped
  • 1 large onion, medium diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped fine
  • 2-4 cups chicken stock or broth, amount depending on preferred soup consistency
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander

Suggested Garnishes

  • sour cream
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • In a heavy frying pan, over medium high heat, cook bacon until fat has rendered and bacon it crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in pan.
  • Lower heat to medium. Add the chorizo, onion, and garlic to the pan along with the 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat. Cook, stirring as needed, until onion is translucent.
  • Put all ingredients into a crock pot (except sour cream and chopped cilantro) and stir to distribute ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for about 6-8 hours.
  • Serve topped with sour cream and chopped cilantro if desired.

Notes

This soup is spicy hot, but the level of heat depends on how the manufacturer has seasoned the chorizo and also upon the chipotle chile in adobo. Different varieties of chorizo may be seasoned hotter than others. If you need to cut back on the heat level, don't add the chipotle chile in adobo because it carries quite a bit of heat. Another option is to cut the chile open and remove the seeds prior to chopping the chile; throw the seeds away and just add the remainder of the chopped chile to the soup.
Recipe by Terri @ that's some good cookin'

 

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo, Ham, and Bacon 147

This recipe has been linked to:

Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
This recipe was awarded a red plate from Miz Helen as part of her Full Plate Thursday

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Terri, this soup looks fabulous! I’ve come to your site before (through TK) but for some reason forgot to come back. So it’s official–I’m adding you to my Google Reader. =)

    Reply

  3. Susan–I hope your husband likes this. From things you’ve said on your blog posts, it sounds like our husbands have similar tastes.

    Jenna–welcome! I know what you mean about dropping by a blog and then forgetting to come back. I do that all of the time–visit a blog, like it, and then forget to come back. Now I’ve finally made myself become a follower of the blogs I like, add them to my Google Reader or pin stuff on Pinterest. Oh, and thanks for adding me to your Google Reader–welcome to the family.

    Reply

  5. Hi Terri,
    What a lovely presentation for your Black Bean Soup. This is a delicious recipe that I can’t wait to try. Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply

  8. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great week end and enjoy your new Red Plate!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

    Reply

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