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Homemade Split Pea Soup

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Course: Baking & Bread, Pork & Sausage, Soups & Stews, Vegetables
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Cups water
  • 2 Cups (a 1 pound bag) of dry split peas
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
  • 2 Cups chopped onions
  • 2 Cups chopped carrots
  • ham bone
  • 2 Cups diced ham
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 & 1/2 Tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
  • 2 Teaspoons salt. (you may need less as the ham is already salty)
  • 1 Large russet potato (or 2 small) you can either use a raw potato OR a previously baked potato

Method
 

  1. First Method: peel and chop up a raw potato and add to the soup…when potato is cooked, you can serve the soup.
  2. Second Method: I prefer shoving a potato in the oven, baking it while the soup is just starting to cook. When the potato is baked, remove and leave on the counter. This allows it time to cool enough to be handled without burning yourself. Then when it is time to add the potato portion, I simply peel the baked potato, chop it up and dump it in the soup and continue cooking for an additional 40 minutes. either way is fine.
    ...The night before... Soak the 2 cups of dry split peas in 6 cups of water. cover this with plastic wrap.
    ...day of serving the soup...Drain your soaked peas, discard this water. Set peas aside. Put the fresh 8 cups of water, onion, carrots and ham bone in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the potato. Reduce heat and let this simmer for approximately TWO hours, stirring occasionally. After the 2 hour simmer, remove the ham bone, pick off any extra ham that still remains on the bone and add that ham to the soup. Now add the potato and simmer an additional 40 minutes. ...There are 2 methods to doing the potato, listed above...(I tend to use the second method)