Split Pea Soup (Slow Cooker)

By rebecca78

Cheap and easy meal! Approximately $8 for 10 large bowls of soup.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs split peas
• 1 ham hock (get one for around $4 at Honey-Baked Ham and there's lots of meat on it)
• Two large carrots
• One large onion
• Two celery stalks
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 sprigs parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse and sort the peas. No need to soak. Pour the peas into the bottom of the crock pot. Trim the fat off the ham hock (I really like honey-baked, some people use smoked) and then drop the hock onto the top of the peas. Chop up the carrots, celery, and onion. I like a very small chop so the soup is really smooth at the end, but if you like it a little chunkier, do a rough chop. Drop those vegetables on top of the peas (onions first, then celery and carrots).

This layering is very important. Put a bay leaf and about 10 sprigs of fresh parsley on top. Gently pour all the water in so you don't disturb the layering too much. You want those peas to stay at the bottom.

You don't really need salt at this point because the ham will lend some and you can always add salt at the table. I do like some fresh ground black pepper in there.

Cover the pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If you're in a hurry, you can cook on high for 4-5 hours, but it isn't quite the same. Most important, DON'T STIR IT. Leave the layering intact and let the pot do its work.

After it's done, pull out the hock. Most of the meat should be off it. If there's some left, you can trim it and throw it in the soup.

Now's the time to stir. I also like to hit mine with an immersion blender to really smooth it out and thicken a little.

And it's ready to eat.

HOWEVER, if you are not in a hurry and you want something truly spectacular, stick it in the fridge overnight. The peas and all the collagen from the ham bone will really thicken up and all the flavors will meld better.