– 2 tablespoons olive oil – 1 ½ cups chopped onion – 1 cup diced celery – 1 cup diced carrot – 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme – 6 garlic cloves, chopped – 2 pounds smoked ham hock – 1 pound dried Great Northern bean
2 (26-ounce) containers unsalted chicken stock ¼ cup minced fresh chives 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add olive oil.
Put chopped onion, celery, carrot, thyme, and garlic in the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Transfer the cooked vegetables into a 6-quart electric slow cooker.
Add smoked ham hocks, dried Great Northern beans, and unsalted chicken stock to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or overnight.
Take out the ham hocks from the slow cooker and let them cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and discard any fat, skin, and bones
Cook for another 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Sprinkle with fresh chives and black pepper before serving.