Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Rinse peas well in cold water and add to a large cooking pot.
  2. Measure 8 cups of water and add to cooking pot.
  3. Bring to boil, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour.
  4. Return to stove and bring back to boil.
  5. Add ham bone, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaf, beef bouillon, salt, peppercorns and dried thyme.
  6. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  7. Remove ham bone and cut off any remaining ham, cut into bite size pieces and return to soup.
  8. Discard ham bone.
  9. If there are big pieces of ham in the soup, remove, cut into bite size pieces and return to soup.
  10. Remove bay leaf and discard.
  11. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  12. If you desire a smooth soup, then puree' in batches in a food processor or blender.
  13. Or eat the soup without puree'ing.
  14. If soup is too thick, add more water to your desired consistency.
  15. Beef broth or chicken broth may be added, just reduce the water by the amounts used.
  16. Smoked ham hocks are excellent to use instead of a ham bone.
  17. If there is not enough ham on the ham bone, then add additional ham of your choice.
  18. You may also use about 1/4 teaspoon of Liquid Hickory Smoke, to get a smokey flavor.
  19. You may also use whole peas, but it will take a bit longer to cook these peas so that they are tender.