• 2lb bag of dried black beans
• 1 lemon’s juice
• ½ package of bacon – or whole – why not?
• 1 large onion
• 5 carrots
• 1 beer
• 5 celery stalks
• 6-8 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 tblspoons of Caldo de pollo or chicken soup base
• Pepper, dried basil, oregano, etc. (I used fresh oregano and basil from the garden)

(optional) 2 cups white rice White Rice

Beans – Prep

• Wash beans well with running water and strainer
• Either soak beans overnight submerged in water in the refrigerator OR in large pot combine beans and water and bring to a boil – let
• While beans are soaking, chop all the veggies and start Soup Prep

Soup Directions

• In (another) 5-6 quart soup pot, cook bacon.
• When nearly finished remove bacon and set aside to be chopped
• Add onions and garlic to hot bacon grease – just for a bit – Don’t sauté until transparent
• Add other ingredients, beer and top off with water – (be careful, grease will pop if not already dampened with chopped veggies)
• Chop bacon and add to pot
• Keep at steady boil for 2.5 hours.
• At two hours, use preferred method to make rice.
• Serve soup over rice.