Best Split Pea Soup Cooks Illustrated Recipes

SPLIT PEA AND HAM SOUP - COOKS ILLUSTRATED

Steps:

• Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium high heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and 1/2 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 - 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, ham steak, bacon, green peas, thyme, and bay leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer, stirring frequently to keep peas from sticking to bottom.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
• Remove ham steak, cover with foil to prevent drying out, and set aside. Stir in carrots and celery; continue to simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.
• When cool enough to handle, remove skin and shred ham into small pieces with two forks, Remove and discard thyme sprigs, bay leaves and bacon slices. Cut the fat off the bacon and chop into small pieces. Stir ham and bacon back into soup and return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a few shakes of hot sauce, if desired.

SPLIT PEA SOUP (COOKS ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Place the ham, bay leaves, and 3 quarts water in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until meat is tender and pulls away from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ham meat and bone from pot. When ham is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite sized pieces and set aside. Discard rind, fat, and bone.
• Add split peas and thyme to ham stock. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until peas are tender but bot dissolved, about 45 minutes.
• While ham is simmering, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until simmering. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and saute, stirring frequently, until most liquid evaporates and the vegetables begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter, garlic, and sugar. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, until deeply browned, 30 to 35 minutes; set aside.
• Add the sauteed vegetables, potatoes, and shredded ham to the pot with the split peas. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the peas dissolve ad thicken soup to the consistency of light cream, about 20 minutes more. Season with ground pepper to taste. (The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days. Warm the soup over low heat until hot.) Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with red onion, if using, and serve, passing balsamic vinegar separately.