Dude Food

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Dried peas and a smoky ham hock, simmered in one pot until they fall apart. Thick enough to stand a spoon in.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 45 min
Total
2 hr
Makes
8 bowls
Difficulty
easy

Split peas need no soaking. An hour and a half at a slow simmer with a smoked ham hock and they collapse into a thick, smoky soup on their own. It is also the best thing to do with the bone from a holiday ham. The one job: stir it now and then, because the peas sink and will catch on the bottom.

Ingredients

Gear

  • large heavy pot with a lid

Method

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  1. Soften

    Melt the butter in the pot over medium and cook the onion, carrots, and celery until soft. Stir in the garlic for the last 30 seconds.

  2. Load it

    Add the split peas, stock, water, ham hocks or bone, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Do not add salt yet.

  3. Simmer

    Turn the heat to low, set the lid on slightly ajar, and simmer until the peas have fallen apart and the meat is loose on the bone. Stir every 15 minutes, scraping the bottom.

  4. Pull the meat

    Lift out the hocks or bone and the bay leaf. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off, chop it, and stir it back in with the diced ham if you are using it. Throw away the bone, skin, and fat.

  5. Stir and season

    Stir hard to break up any whole peas, or give it a few pulses with the hand blender for a smoother soup. Taste, and only now add salt; the ham is salty, so it may need very little.

Notes

  • warningThe peas settle and scorch if left alone. Stir from the bottom every 15 minutes and keep the heat low.
  • tipUse low-sodium stock. Between the hocks and the ham, regular stock can make the soup too salty to fix.
  • tipIt thickens a lot as it cools. Loosen leftovers with a splash of water or stock when you reheat them.
  • tipKeeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes well.
  • pairingButtered toast or crusty bread.