Country Ham & Pea Soup Recipe

Rinse and Soak Peas (optional but recommended)

Rinse the dried red peas under cold water, removing any stones or debris. For slightly faster cooking and a creamier texture, soak the peas in cold water for 2–4 hours and drain before using. If short on time, you can skip soaking; cooking time will increase.

Prepare Ham and Start Broth

Place the country ham (or ham hock) in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add 8 cups of water, 4 cups of chicken broth, the white wine (if using), 2 bay leaves and the peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to extract flavor. Skim any large foam or excess fat from the surface occasionally.

Remove Ham and Strain Broth

Carefully remove the ham from the pot and set aside to cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl to remove bay leaves and peppercorns; reserve the strained broth. When the ham is cool, trim away rind and large fat, then shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces (discard bone). Reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the chopped ham to return to the soup.

Sauté Aromatics

In the now-empty large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Combine Peas, Broth and Vegetables

Add the drained (or unsoaked) red peas to the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Pour in the reserved strained ham broth and the additional chicken broth if needed so there is about 8–10 cups of liquid total. Add the reserved shredded ham. Add the 3 sprigs of fresh thyme and the optional additional bay leaf.

Simmer Until Tender

Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the peas are tender and beginning to break down, about 45–75 minutes (soaked peas ~45 minutes, unsoaked ~60–75). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and add small amounts of water or broth if the soup becomes too thick. Skim off excess fat if desired.

Adjust Texture and Seasoning

When peas are tender and the soup is slightly thickened, remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. If you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to purée about one-quarter to one-half of the soup directly in the pot, or carefully transfer some to a blender and return to the pot. Stir in the chopped parsley.

Final Seasoning and Acid

Taste the soup. Because country ham is salty, add salt only if needed. Season with freshly ground black pepper (about 1 teaspoon or to taste). Stir in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavors. If the soup needs more ham flavor, add more of the reserved chopped ham.

Serve

Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with a small drizzle of olive oil if desired and an additional sprinkle of chopped parsley or thyme leaves. Serve hot with crusty bread or cornbread.