My split pea soup has turned to spit pea puree, or creamed green ham soup...
By miamilady
@miamilady (4910)
United States
November 26, 2007 5:36pm CST
Okay, I've been doing this for the past few years.
I use the leftover Thanksgiving ham and make split pea soup with it.
I do this once a year and every time I do it, it's like the first time.
I'm never sure how long I'm supposed to boil the split peas.
I consult the internet.
I consult with friends.
I consult with my mom.
I was told 4-5 hours
I boiled them for an hour with nothing but salt.
I didn't soak them first.
That was another question. To soak or not to soak!
Anyway, after boiling them for an hour and turning off the stove to go pick my children up from school.
I came home, turned it back on, threw in the rest of the ingredients while it was boiling.
By the time I chop up the onions, potatos and carrots and throw them in, the split peas are gone!
Do you ever make this stuff?
Do you do a better job of it than me?
Are you picky about the consistency of your split pea soup?
I think I'll be okay with green mush soup.
I'm not that picky.
My picky child is becoming less picky, I think.
It smells good to her. She wants in NOW. But the veggies arean't cooked yet. I told her if she wants it that bad, pour some in a bowl and eat it with crunchy veggies. So far, she's still waiting.
5 people like this
9 responses
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
27 Nov 07
Right. It did taste good. Thanks for your response.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Nov 07
These days you can boil the split peas without soaking them. It works for me. The time depends on how mushy you want them. 4-5 hours is way too long. Also I would not add the salt in the beginning. Split peas and other legume soups such as lentils tend to thicken up if you put them in the fridg. I am kind of picky about the consistency of the soup so I keep a small pot of hot broth or boiling water on the stove next to the soup. If I find it too thick when all the veggies and soup are done I add a few ladles of the broth or water to the soup and maybe a little extra salt and pepper to get the consistency I want in particular if I use the soup the next day. Mmmm so good that soup. Bon appetit!
@cowlady (270)
• United States
27 Nov 07
Lately I have not boiled my peas. I just rinse them to make sure all the crap comes out. I use green and yellow peas and sometimes add some lentils. Lentils make the soup a little brown but it tastes good. I boil the bone and small pieces of ham in a pot filled with water, a chopped up onion and the peas. I also use a ham base too for a little more flavor. I throw in cut up carrots. I throw the potatoes in cut up very small as a thickening agent. I had turkey for Thanksgiving but I have a ham in the freezer I might have to cook just so I can make some soup.
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
27 Nov 07
It's been my experience that split peas and lentils cook pretty quickly. I do the same as Pyewacket and put everything in at the same time. I rinse them a little but I never soak them.
Personally I love pureed anything, I puree lightly steamed spinach and serve it over fish, I puree broccoli with a little butter and cream and eat it as soup. I even tried pureeing salad once. That was a disgusting disaster.
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
27 Nov 07
I don't make that stuff and never would make it. It makes me ill...lol...the smell alone. My parents used to make both green and yellow pea soup and it was always smooth mush type but thick real thick. I don't remember them adding any veggies to it either just peas.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Nov 07
Actually there's nothing wrong with it. Pea soup has a habit of solidifying a bit (or a lot) especially after being refrigerated...like a paste. What I simply do is add more water to it to unthicken it. You might have to add more salt if you add the water..I don't know why but there are some soups I like very salty...pea soup is one of them. Also what I do I add everything at the same time...the split peas, the carrots, the ham, onion and of course the water and let it cook at the same time--nope I never soak the peas before either. No real need to as far as I can see.
