The Flash-Hydration Soak: Bring a large pot of plain water to a rolling boil on the stove. Remove the pot from the heat completely, dump the dried Great Northern beans inside, and clamp a tight lid over the top. Let them sit undisturbed for 2 hours, then drain away all the soaking water. Pro Tip: This quick-soak method expands the dried starches evenly from the core outward. This prevents the delicate bean skins from wrinkling or splitting open later when exposed to long simmering times.

In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the 2 liters of fresh water, the smoked ham hocks, and 1 tablespoon of Herbes de Provence.

The Gelatin-Extraction Simmer: Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately turn the burner down to low. Cover the pot and let the ham hocks simmer gently by themselves for exactly 1 hour. Crucial: Ham hocks are packed with tough connective tissue and rich collagen. Simmering them alone first breaks down those stubborn fibers, dissolving the natural gelatin straight into the water to create a silky, body-rich pork stock baseline before the vegetables are added.

While the hocks simmer, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent. Add the minced garlic during the last 60 seconds of sautéing.

The Unified Simmer: Lift the lid of your large stockpot and tip the warm sautéed vegetables along with the drained, soaked beans directly into the bubbling ham hock broth. Bring the mixture back to a boil, drop the heat to low, cover, and let it all simmer together for 40 minutes until the beans are completely tender and creamy.

Use tongs to pull the hot ham hocks out of the pot and place them on a cutting board. Shred the tender meat away from the bone and skin, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and slide the meat right back into the bean pot. Discard the remaining fat and bone.

Season the thick, savory stew with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle into deep bowls and shower with fresh chopped parsley before serving.