Split-pea soup is another quintessential fall soup, a deliciously hearty and earthy soup that just begs to be graced by the company of a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and a steaming cup of hot spiced apple cider. I never liked the vegetarian ones because it's the all-important pork that really brings the flavor out in this soup. I used bacon in this version instead, pretty much because I had a bunch of bacon.
Preparation: 10 mins.
Cooking: min. 1½ hours.
Servings: 10 to 12.
Est. cost: about $10.
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- 6 cups split peas
- 12 oz. bacon, hickory- or applewood-smoked
- 18 cups water
- 3 cups yellow onion, small diced
- 1 tbsp. garlic, finely diced
- 1 ham hock
- 1 tsp. thyme
- ¼ tsp. ground celery seed
- 1 pinch (⅛ tsp.) cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch (⅛ tsp.) ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. white pepper
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or frying pan on medium heat until it's browned but not crispy. Cut with a knife or with meat shears into bite-sized pieces and set aside, draining on paper towels.
- In the same pan in the bacon fat sautee the onions on medium heat for about seven minutes or until the onion becomes slightly translucent and shiny. Set aside.
- On medium heat in a large pot (min. 5 qts. capacity) add the water, split peas, bacon and onion, bacon fat remaining in the pan, and ham hock, and once the soup begins to simmer add the spices and drop the temperature down to low, covering the pot. Stir the soup every half hour or so, and of course immediately after adding the spices, and add a little water if necessary, though if you cook this for just an hour or and hour and a half you probably won't need to.
Next Time in the Lab
I really liked the flavor of this but feel the addition of the ham hock was a mistake that resulted in a soup that tasted smoky and greasy. More thyme and salt may also be worth trying ,to see if they further enhance the flavor or start to overpower it.
- Eliminate the use of the ham hock.
- Eliminate use of the bacon grease.
Increase the thyme to two teaspoons.- Increased the salt to a teaspoon.
- Substitute a similar amount of ground allspice for the nutmeg.
