Prep the Beans: The night before making this soup, open the bag and pick through the beans to remove any small pieces of gravel or debris. Then place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 1 inch of water. Cover the top with plastic wrap and allow the beans to soak overnight. Make sure to keep the seasoning packet from the bag of beans. Once the beans have soaked for at least 12 hours, drain off the water.

Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add 10 cups of water to the pot, along with the soaked beans. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and gently simmer the beans for approximately 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. (Do not add any seasoning at this point.)

Meanwhile, set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon to the pan and cook the bacon until brown. Then stir in the chopped onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and garlic. Stir and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat and set aside.

Once the beans have simmered for at least 1 ½ hours, open the pot, and pour in the sautéed bacon and veggies. Stir in the chicken base, the seasoning packet from the bag of beans, dried thyme, and black pepper. Allow the beans and vegetables to simmer together for another 30 minutes.

Then add lemon juice and fresh parsley. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.