New Years Day Split Pea soup

[sawhorseray]

Was up right after four this morning slicing and dicing to make sure everything was going on schedule for split pea soup. Picnic ham bones, hamhock from a smoked wild hog, split peas, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, six pounds of lean cubed ham.



Filled the new four-gallon pot half way with water, dumped everything but the cubed ham and carrots in the pot, had the stove fired up right at five-thirty.



The paperboy just arrived! Now for a day of football and stirring, add the carrots in a few hours, the cubed ham a couple hours after that. Half-time of the Rose Bowl is only ten hours away, just perfect for split pea soup and some fresh baked bread. RAY

[nuynai]

Hey, Saw. Here's a recipe I use, as all it needs, is to set it and forget it. Nothing burns in a crock pot.

1/2 large sweet onion, diced
2 carrots diced to 1/2 inch slices
1 stalk of celery dice to 1/2 in. pieces
1 large can of chicken or beef stock, your choice- I use chicken
1 lb. of dried beans or peas, your choice
A 1 inch thick slice of ham, cut into dime size pieces
1 ham bone
Potatoes-optional

Dice everything as to instructions and put them in a large bowl. Mix well. Get the crock pot, put in ham bone, all ingredients, add a large can of stock. Turn on low. Don't worry, beans/ peas will break down. Cook on low for 24 hrs. Put in another pot, add another large can of stock, mix well. Season to your taste and add more stock to your liking as far as thickness. Enjoy your soup, as it sounds delicious. Happy Safe, Healthy and prosperous New Year.

[crustyo44]

In Holland everybody always has at least 2 large leeks, 2 finely chopped potatoes, a whole celeriac chopped as well as all the ingredients in the above recipes.
A good pea soup certainly is hard to beat on a cold winters day.
Sticks to your ribs!!!!!!!!
Cheers,
Jan.

[sawhorseray]

I decided I didn't want to drive to the store and just plain old celery would work well, as it always has. The carrots went in after six hours when the meat was cooked so the bones could be removed. I tossed in the six pounds of cubed ham meat a couple hours later and let the pot simmer for another four hours. Total cooking time was twelve and a half hours on the stove, very low flame. New pot worked perfectly, very thick bottom, no burn or sticking at all. Turned out about three gallons of soup loaded with ham, some in the freezer already, be gorging for the next few days.



Life is good! RAY

[el Ducko]

We use a similar recipe for our traditional "Turkey Bone Soup." ...essentially the same recipe, plus a turkey carcass. Simmer a turkey carcass in water on very low flame until the carcass falls apart, retrieve the bones and skin and what cartilage is left, add the other ingredients, simmer until the veggies are tender, then salt and pepper to taste.

Possible differences: I usually add a 1/4 cup of barley and a half a cup of rice, too. Leftover dressing is known to have been added. The occasional dried chile (less seeds and stem) goes in if I can get away with it. ...sliced andouille, too, if available in the freezer.

[sawhorseray]

My hunting-fishing partner of 40 years was making turkey soup yesterday as I was making mine. Must be the time of year and all the Xmas leftovers, we were doing a lot of e-mailing back and forth. We got on the subject of Spanish ham, a friend of ours smuggled some back that he said cost about $50 a pound, acorn fed, I brought up your post.. The ranch we used to hunt was loaded with acorns at certain times and the wild hogs we'd kill then were noticeably superior on the dinner table. Now that we've scaled things back to just a hunt or two per year we're going to start having our contacts in pig country inform us as to when the acorns begin to drop, we'll go whack a hog a month later. Being worth $50 a pound after I smoke it I'll try not to shoot the next one in the butt! RAY

[ssorllih]

Ray don't shoot the butt either. It makes good bacon and rolled smoked pseudo Canadian bacon. I guess you are left with a head shot.

[redzed]

Ray don't shoot the butt either. It makes good bacon and rolled smoked pseudo Canadian bacon. I guess you are left with a head shot.

But the head has it's uses as well! I think Ray should go with a clean shot to the throat.

And Ross, rather than "pseudo Canadian bacon", the name is cottage ham or smoked pork shoulder.