split pea soup

Amys Gluten Free Pantry

I make this every Thanksgiving from the leftover ham bone. I cook for quite a crowd – two turkeys and two hams because we love lots of leftovers! This is way to make your holiday ham really stretch, and makes the day after Thanksgiving special. If you don’t have your own ham bone, go buy a ham hock at your local grocery.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Yield 16 cups (4 quarts)

ham bone with plenty of ham attached or ham hock

1 T grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 1/2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 1/4 pounds dried green split peas
4 1/2 quarts water plus additional if soup gets too thick
2 T bacon drippings (save your drippings from your morning bacon)
3 tsp. salt, divided
grinding of fresh pepper
2 bay leaves

2-3 big slices of leftover ham for garnish

  1. In a large heavy bottomed stock pot, saute onions in oil and bacon dripping over medium heat until translucent, 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients (reserving 1/2 tsp. salt and the ham slices) and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
  3. When peas are soft and smooshy, remove ham bone and cut all meat off of bone, chop and return to stock pot.
  4. Finely chop 2-3 slices of leftover ham and drop into soup.
  5. Add remaining salt and pepper and taste for seasoning; adjust as necessary. Serve with chopped ham atop.

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