Set Instant pot to sauté, and add avocado oil. Heat for 2-3 minutes until hot, but not smoking.
Add onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 30 seconds, until just fragrant.
Stir in spices.
Add the dry beans, stock, ham hock (or shank or meaty ham bone), parsley, and cubed ham steak (if using).
Close the lid with the seal in place, and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally (natural pressure release) for 20 minutes. Then (carefully) manual release remaining pressure.
Remove bay leaves and ham hock, shank, or meaty ham bone. Shred meat from ham hock, shank, or meaty ham bone and add back to soup, discarding any fat or bones.
Taste soup, and add salt, if needed.
Tips:
Immersion blend a bit of the soup right in the pot for a creamier soup.
You can use a leftover meaty ham bone, ham shank, or ham hock to make this soup. If using a ham hock, I recommend also adding in a diced or cubed ham steak, as ham hocks do not have as much meat on them.
I prefer to start with low sodium stock so that I have more control over the seasoning/saltiness of the soup.