Split Pea, Ham & Barley Soup

On a cold, snowy day in Kansas, I am making Tom Otto’s split pea soup. He made it for us in his Texas Condo. I loved the addition of barley which makes the soup even heartier than usual. Tom said he didn’t use a recipe, just make split pea soup and added barley, but he was adamant that the best split pea soup is made using smoked ham that has been cut into chunks. He used lots of it; actually more than I did, so add extra if you prefer.

Besides, the soup is green, perfect for St. Patrick's Day that is quickly approaching. I did check, the Irish do make Split Pea Soup. What seems to distinguish it from the German variation is that they add potatoes and cream. So instead of barley, subsitute some diced potatoes to celebrate the season!

What goes with Split Pea Soup? That would be Margaret Darg’s Buttery Cornbread – another recipe from our month of condo living in South Texas. 

Split Pea, Ham and Barley Soup   Makes about 8 (1 1/2 cup) servings

10 cups chicken broth 

1 lb. dry split peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups) -- I used green even though they look yellow in the photos I took of the soup cooking on the stove

1/3 to 1/2 cup pearl barley

2 bay leaves

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

About 1 cup diced smoked ham

1 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

A dash or two of red pepper flakes, optional

Kosher salt as needed – I used about a teaspoon

1. In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven or pot bring broth, split peas, barley, and bay leaves to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Stir in celery, carrots, onion, ham, black pepper, garlic powder and a dash of red pepper flakes; return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes more or until vegetables, peas, and barley are tender. Stir often as soup has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.
   
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Soup can also be thinned with extra chicken broth as needed. It can also be transferred to a slow cooker until serving time.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Split Pea, Ham and Barley Soup   Makes about 8 (1 1/2 cup) servings

10 cups chicken broth 

1 lb. dry split peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)

1/3 to 1/2 cup pearl barley

2 bay leaves

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

About 1 cup diced smoked ham

1 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

A dash or two of red pepper flakes, optional

Kosher salt as needed – I used about a teaspoon

1. In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven or pot bring broth, split peas, barley, and bay leaves to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. 
2. Stir in celery, carrots, onion, ham, black pepper, garlic powder and a dash of red pepper flakes; return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes more or until vegetables, peas, and barley are tender. Stir often as soup has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Soup can also be thinned with extra chicken broth as needed. It can also be transferred to a slow cooker until serving time.

Crockpot Split Pea Soup with Ham

We are definitely spilt pea soup fans and I’ve already posted two perfectly good Split Pea Ham soup and Split Pea Soup. However, I couldn’t resist trying this version done entirely in a slow cooker. It was quite tasty and definitely nice to come home to the savory aroma of this soup after being gone most of the day.

Crockpot Split Pea Soup with Ham

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ cups dried green split peas (8 oz.)

About 1 cup diced ham (I used part of a ham steak)

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Dash cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1 (32 oz.) carton chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream or plain yogurt for topping, optional

Chopped chives for garnishing, optional

1. Layer onion, carrots, garlic, split peas, ham, potato, thyme, cayenne pepper and bay leaf in a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker; pour in broth.
2. Cook, covered, on High 4 to 6 hours or on Low 8 to 12 hours, or until split peas are tneder and form a puree when soup is stirred. Discard bay leaf.

   

   I cooked this soup on Low for just about 5 hours and it was done . . . but held in the slow cooker for longer.

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top with sour cream or yogurt and garnish with chopped chives, if desired.

Recipe without photos . . .

Crockpot Split Pea Soup with Ham

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ cups dried green split peas (8 oz.)

About 1 cup diced ham (I used part of a ham steak)

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Dash cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1 (32 oz.) carton chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream or plain yogurt for topping, optional

Chopped chives for garnishing, optional

1. Layer onion, carrots, garlic, split peas, ham, potato, thyme, cayenne pepper and bay leaf in a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker; pour in broth.
2. Cook, covered, on High 4 to 6 hours or on Low 8 to 12 hours, or until split peas are tneder and form a puree when soup is stirred. Discard bay leaf.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top with sour cream or yogurt and garnish with chopped chives, if desired 

Winter Soups: Split Pea with Ham

Soup and winter just seem to go together. Although neither of us grew up eating split pea soup, we are now fans and this is the recipe we use.

Some recipe purée or partially purée the soup but we prefer to omit that step, opting for a chunky version.

           

Split Pea Soup with Ham     Makes about 6 cups  

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme

4 cups water

2 cups dry green split peas

1 large onion, finely chopped (I used red but yellow or white would work equally well)

2 each carrots and stalks celery, diced

1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ teaspoon each salt and pepper

3 to 4 cups water or chicken stock or broth
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish, if desired

.

1.  Add ham hock, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and 4 cups cups water to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour with lid on pot.

2.  Add split peas and simmer for about another hour or until they begin to break down.

3.  Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and about 3 cups more water and stock; cook until vegetables are tender.

4.  Remove bay leaves, thyme stems and ham hock; pull off and shred meat and return to soup pot.

5.  For a thicker soup, simmer to desired consistency with lid off. If too thick, add more water or stock and simmer a few additional minutes.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Recipe without photos . . .

Split Pea Soup with Ham     Makes about 6 cups  

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme

4 cups water

2 cups dry green split peas

1 large onion, finely chopped (I used red but yellow or white would work equally well)

2 each carrots and stalks celery, diced

1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ teaspoon each salt and pepper

3 to 4 cups water or chicken stock or broth

2 cups dry green split peas
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish, if desired

.

1.  Add ham hock, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and 4 cups cups water to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour with lid on pot.

2.  Add split peas and simmer for about another hour or until they begin to break down.

3.  Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and about 3 cups more water and stock; cook until vegetables are tender.

4.  Remove bay leaves, thyme stems and ham hock; pull off and shred meat and return to soup pot.

5.  For a thicker soup, simmer to desired consistency with lid off. If too thick, add more water or stock and simmer a few additional minutes.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Split Pea Soup -- Chock Full of Nutrition and Goodness

     Barry recently handed me a seasonal article on the benefits of split peas. These inexpensive legumes help stabilize blood sugar levels, help reduce cholesterol and contain isoflavones, which are helpful in reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
 Low in calories, they are touted as a food that helps control weight. For more nutritional information, check out these sites:

·                         Health Benefits of Green Split Peas 

·                        Split Peas are an Excellent Source of Nutrition 

    
    The most common way to eat split peas is in soup. Lots of recipes add ham or even sauté the veggies is bacon fat. We start with olive oil and then often times use a strip or two of cooked, crumbled bacon, sour cream and fresh herbs as toppings. Thick and tasty, this soup makes a satisfying meal.

     Did you know? There are actually green and yellow split peas. They are generally interchangeable in recipes but yellow split peas have a milder flavor (than green peas) because of their lower chlorophyll content.

Split Pea Soup     3 to 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup finely chopped celery

½ cup finely chopped green pepper, optional

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup green split peas

4 cups broth (chicken, beef, vegetable)

1½ teaspoons seasoning blend (I use whatever is on hand such as Penzeys Forward! – a salt-free blend of black pepper, onion, paprika, garlic, turmeric, etc.)

1 teaspoon salt

Optional toppings: crisp, crumbled bacon / dollops of sour cream / freshly chopped herbs – parsley, chives, sprigs of thyme

1.  In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, green pepper (if using) and garlic; cook until onion is translucent.

2.  Stir in split peas, broth, seasoning and salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 to 2½ hours or until peas are tender, stirring frequently. 

3.  Partially purée with an immersion blender or use a blender or food processor. If using a blender or food processor, remove about ½ to ¾ of the hot soup, blend and then return to remaining soup and reheat to pleasing serving temperature. Note: Typically slit pea soup is completely puréed, however we prefer to have bits and pieces of veggies immersed with the blended soup.