Kittencal's Pea Soup With Ham Bone (Crock Pot or Stove Top)

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

This soup is hearty and extremely flavorful and one that I have made many times in the past and even served to my guests with rave reviews all around! --- I make this soup using all chicken broth but if you are using the canned chicken broth, it is best to use only 4 cans and the rest water, also I suggest not to add any salt into this soup until the end of cooking --- if desired you may puree the soup after cooking and then return it to the saucepan and if you should decide to do so heat the soup again in the saucepan then ladle hot soup into serving dishes, and for a nice presentation drizzle about 1 tablespoon whipping cream in the soup but do not mix in --- you will love this soup!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 10 cups (a ...

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 -2 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons oil (not olive oil)
• 1 (16 ounce) bag dried split green peas
• 1 ham bone (make certain that the bone has a fair amount of meat on it)
• 4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3 cups water (for a very thick soup use only 2 cups water, you can always add in more water during cooking)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper (I use seasoned salt)
• 2 -3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional, add in towards the end of cooking and heat through)
• 1 cup cooked rice (or to taste)
• whipping cream (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or saucepan saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft (about 5-6 minutes).
2. Add in broth, dried split peas, water, ham bone and bay leaf; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the soup thickens (add in the diced carrots the last hour of cooking).
3. Add in pepper to taste.
4. Remove the ham bone and bay leaf.
5. At this point the soup can be pureed if desired.
6. When the ham is cool, pull the meat from the bone and shred it into bite-size pieces, then return to the saucepan, or serve on the side.
7. Add in rice and stir until heated through.
8. Ladle into serving bowls, and drizzle with whipped cream if desired.

Reviews

[Craig1952]

I love pea soup and I've just made the best I've ever eaten. This stuff is stellar! I like dipping buttered bread and so left out the rice. I wanted to have some, thinly sliced carrots, in the finished product, and so did the following. Halved two carrots and threw them in for the two hour cooking process. They were removed and discarded with the bay leaf. I then sliced two fresh carrots and threw them in, with the shredded hock, for another 15 minutes of cooking. Perfect!

I will be making this recipe for the rest of my life and only wish I could give it six stars. It's just that good!

[Joanna K]

This is so good! Everyone loved it, even if they were a bit hesitant to try pea soup! :) Thanks!!

[Queen Zan]

who would have thought something so simple as pea soup could be so good! thanks!