Senate Bean Soup (the Official Recipe)
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Soak beans for up to 6 hours.
Sautee onions, celery and carrots with black pepper in butter until slightly softened.
Add beans and mix.
Nestle ham hock in middle of mixture.
Add liquid and thyme.
Bring just to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for approximately three hours in a covered pot with the lid barely cracked, stirring occasionally, until the beans have fully softened.
Remove the ham hock at 2.5 hours and strip meat, dicing it. Return to soup for remaining cook time.