Hocks › Pea and ham soup with a ham hock
Pea and ham soup with a ham hock
This is the old-fashioned winter soup: thick, savoury and filling, made from a hock, dried peas and a few vegetables. It feeds a family on very little money.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 1 ham hock, soaked if needed (see our boiling guide)
- 300g dried green or yellow split peas
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 2 bay leaves and a few thyme sprigs
- 2 litres of water or unsalted stock
- Black pepper; salt only at the end, if at all
- Chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon to finish
Method
- Rinse the peas. Wash split peas in a sieve under cold water. Some packets recommend soaking; others say no. Follow the pack.
- Start the hock. Put the hock in a big pan with the water, onion, carrot, celery, bay and thyme. Bring it to the boil, skim, then simmer.
- Add the peas. After about an hour, add the rinsed peas. Stir occasionally, because split peas like to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Cook until soft. Simmer for a further 1 to 1½ hours until the peas have collapsed and the hock meat is falling from the bone.
- Take out the hock. Lift it onto a board, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat.
- Finish the soup. Remove the bay and thyme stalks. Blend part of the soup for a thick, half-smooth texture, or leave it chunky. Return the shredded meat, taste, and add pepper, lemon and parsley.
Getting the salt right
The biggest problem with this soup is saltiness. Cured hock can release a lot of salt into the pan, so use unsalted stock or water, and never add salt until the end. If the finished soup tastes too salty, add more water and a diced potato, and simmer a further 15 minutes. You can also add extra peas or a splash of lemon juice to balance it. A short soak before cooking, or a first boil in fresh water, makes this far less likely.
Tips for a better soup
- A little mustard or a splash of cider vinegar lifts the flavour.
- A pinch of dried mint is traditional in some regions with pea soup.
- Frozen peas can be added at the end for brighter colour and sweetness.
- Toast and butter or a crust of bread make it a meal.
Variations
Yellow split pea version: uses the same method with yellow split peas, giving a mellower flavour and golden colour.
Smoked hock: adds a deep smoky flavour. It is also saltier, so soak it.
Slow cooker: put everything except the parsley and lemon in the pot, cover with liquid and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Check your slow cooker's manual, and make sure the peas are fully soft.
Storing leftovers
Cool the soup quickly (spread it into shallow containers), refrigerate within two hours and eat within 48 hours, or freeze portions. When reheating, bring the soup to a rolling simmer so it is steaming hot all the way through, and reheat only once. Thick soup can catch on the bottom of the pan, so stir often. More in our food safety page.
What to do with the rest of the hock
If you cooked two hocks, keep the second for a terrine or sandwiches. A half-hock of shredded meat also goes into pasta, risotto or a pie.