Old-Fashioned Pea Soup (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Stuff
01 -
1 big ham bone, still with meat attached
02 -
1 pound bag of dried split green peas
03 -
Chop up 1 large onion
04 -
1 cup finely chopped celery
05 -
1 cup of carrots, diced up small
→ Flavor Boosters
06 -
Half a teaspoon of pepper
07 -
Throw in 1 dry bay leaf
08 -
1 teaspoon of salt
09 -
Dried thyme, about 1/2 teaspoon
# Instructions:
01 -
Pick through the peas to get rid of funky ones or anything that isn't a pea. Rinse them well in cool water. Put the peas in a big Dutch oven, dumping in water until it’s 2 inches above the peas. Boil it for 2 minutes, then take it off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 1-4 hours until the peas are soft. Drain and rinse them, tossing out the water you used to soak.
02 -
Throw the softened peas back in the Dutch oven. Pour in 2-1/2 quarts of fresh water, toss in the ham bone, onion pieces, a dash of salt, some pepper, the thyme, and the bay leaf. Boil everything together.
03 -
Turn the heat way down, cover the pot, and let the soup bubble lightly for about 1.5 hours. Stir every now and then so nothing sticks or burns.
04 -
Take the ham bone out of the soup. Once it’s cool, pull the meat off the bone, chuck the bone, and cut the meat into bite-sized bits. Toss the ham cubes back into the soup.
05 -
Mix in the celery and carrots to the soup. Leave the lid off this time, and let it simmer for around 45-60 minutes until the veggies are soft and the soup gets to the thickness you like. Before serving, fish out and toss away the bay leaf.
# Notes:
01 -
The flavors really pop if you let the soup sit overnight before eating.
02 -
No ham bone? Ham hocks or even diced ham can step in, though the taste might not be as deep.
03 -
This stuff thickens up like crazy as it cools. Add some water while reheating to loosen it up.