Ham and Split Pea Soup
Thick and hearty soup made with a ham bone and split yellow peas
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone with at least some meat left on it
- 10-12 cups cold water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion
- 4 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cups chicken broth adjust amount to total 8 cups liquid
- 1 package chicken bouillon if desired for extra flavour
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme plus extra for garnish
- 1 ½ cups dried split yellow peas
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste and don't add until end
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ C fresh chopped parsley if desired for garnish
Instructions
- Add cold water to ham bone in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add 2 bay leaves and simmer at least 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone and the liquid is reduced by about half. Don't top up the water unless it's getting low.
- Remove bone and meat from pot. Remove bay leaves and refrigerate the stock to allow fat to rise after cooling.
- When ham is cooled enough to handle, remove as much meat as possible and chop into pieces. Refrigerate.
- Once stock is cooled, remove as much fat as possible from the top. Place pot on stovetop and bring ham broth to a simmer. Add chicken broth, about 2 cups or enough to make about 8 cups liquid in total.
- Chop onion, carrots and celery. Add to pot along with chopped ham. Add thyme stems to soup. Simmer for about 20 minutes to soften vegetables and flavour broth.
- Rinse and drain split peas. Remove any debris. Add to soup. Simmer up to 1 hour until the peas are very soft and the soup is thickened. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Remove thyme stems before serving and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Add cracked black pepper before serving.
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