Chop your onions, celery, and carrots into slightly larger, uniform chunks rather than a fine mince. Pro Tip: Because this soup simmers for up to 8 hours, small vegetable pieces completely dissolve into mush. Larger cuts maintain their shape and provide a pleasant textural contrast to the soft beans.

Layer the rinsed dry beans and chopped vegetables at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the heavy smoked ham bone directly on top, nestling it deep into the center so it is fully surrounded by the ingredients.

Pour the broth and water mixture over the top until the liquid levels rest about an inch above the components. Slip the bay leaves and black pepper down into the sides of the pot.

Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours (or High for 5 hours). Crucial: Cooking on Low is highly recommended. The long, gentle thermal window is what allows the rich collagen and connective tissues inside the ham bone to melt completely, turning into gelatin that gives the soup its silky body.

Carefully lift the hot ham bone out of the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then shred all the tender, smoky meat off the bone, discarding any fat or cartilage.

Before returning the shredded meat to the pot, take a potato masher or a large heavy ladle and crush about 1 cup of the cooked beans right against the inside wall of the slow cooker. Stir the mashed paste back into the liquid. The released starches instantly transform a thin, watery broth into a rich, creamy, and opaque soup without using any flour or heavy cream.

Fold the shredded smoky ham back into the creamed broth. Let it sit covered on the "Warm" setting for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry before ladling into bowls.