Best Joes Split Pea Bacon Ham Potato Soup Recipes

SPLIT PEA, BACON & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the bacon into one-inch strips and add to a large pot. Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is brown and crispy.
• While the bacon is browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Once the bacon has browned, add the onion and garlic to the pot and continue to cook and stir over medium heat. The moisture from the onions will dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and absorb the bacon flavor.
• Once the onions are soft and translucent (5 minutes), add the split peas, chicken broth, bay leaf, and a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper (20-25 cranks of a pepper mill).
• Allow the soup to begin heating through while you peel and cube the potatoes. Cut the peeled potatoes into one-inch cubes then add them to the soup. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil. When it reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer gently for 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes of simmering, test the peas to make sure they are very soft. Turn the heat off and let the soup cool slightly. Remove the bay leaf and then use an immersion blender to lightly blend the soup until it is creamy with a few chunks. If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer a few cups at a time to a blender, drape a towel over the lid, and pulse the contents until smooth. Work in batches until half of the soup is blended smooth.
• Taste the soup and add additional salt as needed (I added about 1/2 teaspoon). Serve with crusty bread or garnishes like shredded cheddar cheese or sliced green onions.

HEARTY SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Dice bacon into 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium-low heat. Cook until fat is rendered and translucent. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook until onion and garlic are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add split peas, stir to coat with fat, and add bay leaves and 2 quarts stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so soup simmers. Skim foam that rises to the surface for about 10 minutes, until no more appears. Add thyme leaves. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour or longer, until peas are soft and starting to fall apart. Add more stock, as needed.
• Remove soup from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Purée soup in a food processor in several batches, short of perfect smoothness; you should be able to spoon up some texture. Reheat soup, skimming off any foam. Stir from the bottom to mix well, then ladle into bowls and serve.

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not brown.
• Add the broth, water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the ham steak and place it on a plate; cover with foil and set aside. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, shred the ham steak into small bite-size pieces with two forks. Cover with foil again.
• Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Add the shredded ham to the soup and return to a simmer. Add a few grinds of pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (depending on the saltiness of the ham and bacon you used, you may need an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt). Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons, if using. (The soup will thicken as it sits on the stove; thin it with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.)
• Note: A ham steak is a thick slice of cooked ham cut from a whole ham roast. They can be found packaged in the refrigerated meat section of the supermarket, near the bacon.
• Note: Regular sliced bacon can be used, but the thinner slices are a little harder to remove from the soup.
• To Make Fresh Croutons: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups of cubed good-quality French or Italian bread and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. The soup will thicken once cool, so thin with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.

JOE'S SPLIT PEA, BACON, HAM & POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse peas in a colandar and set aside.
• Medium chop red onion, celery, and green pepper, and cut bacon into small pieces.
• Add the bacon to a large soup pot, and render the bacon, on medium high heat, until crispy. Add onions, celery and green pepper to the bacon and bacon fat, and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the bay leaves, marjoram, black pepper, peas, water and bouillon granules and stir well. Add the ham bone and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours (90 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• Remove the ham bone and allow to cool. Meanwhile, cut up the potatoes into bite sized pieces and add to the soup pot. If soup if too thick, add additional water. Remove any remaining ham from the ham bone, cut the ham into bite sized pieces, and return to the soup pot. Check the soup pot for large pieces of ham, hunks of fat, etc. Cut up the ham, and remove the hunks of fat. Continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Serve and enjoy.

HEARTY SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until peas and vegetables are tender.

SPLIT PEA,HAM AND BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Saute onion and garlic until tender.
• Brown bacon.
• Mix all ingredients together except last 4 cups of water.
• Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Bring to a full boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or however tender you prefer your peas.
• This is how I make it with the extra 4 cups of water.
• Saute onion and garlic until tender.
• Brown bacon.
• Mix all ingredients together including the last 4 cups of water.
• Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Bring to a full boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 3 hours (until about half of the peas are mush).
• If you prefer you may also add 3 tablespoons of flour to adjust your thickness.