Dutch Oven Ham Hock and White Bean Soup

After you eat that delicious spiral cut ham, don't throw the bone away! Make a great tasting soup! Cooking this in the dutch oven adds a little challenge, but you can easily simmer this on a stove as well.

Step 1: You Will Need

To cook in a Dutch oven, some basic tools are needed:

12" Dutch oven (this size is the most versatile)
Charcoal
Lid Lifter
Coal Tongs
Cooking platform (this can be as simple as a sheet of aluminum foil or as fancy as you want. I use the Volcano cooker model I.)
Heat resistant gloves
Flat edged wooden spoon

Some nice extras:
Charcoal chimney - load the coals in here and it will start them faster.
Trivet/Lid Stand - This keeps the lid off the ground when cooking outside, and the hot pan off your formica countertops and table. (Melted table = bad)

For this recipe, we will also need:
1 ham hock (this is the bone left from a spiral ham or ham roast)
2 cups dry white beans
1/2 cup dry split peas
1/2 cup celery
1 cup ham, cubed
5 chicken bullion cubes (optional)
96 ounces water
1/2 teaspoon pepper