Pea Soup with Smoked Meats

Pea soup with smoked meats is a hearty cold-weather soup that turns a dish some people remember from childhood into a favourite lunch or dinner. Smoked meats give pea soup a completely different taste and aroma, and the soup is especially good when the weather is cool. The recipe makes a large pot for 6 to 8 servings, so pea soup with smoked meats also suits a family meal or a few days of lunches.

Smoked meats give pea soup with smoked meats its character, while split peas make the broth thick and satisfying. Smoked beef ribs bring depth and a rich broth, smoked bacon renders fat for the base, and smoked chicken sausages plus smoked sausage add extra savoury flavour. Onion and carrot build sweetness under the smoky notes, potato makes the soup more substantial, and bay leaf rounds out the broth. Fresh split peas matter here because older peas cook much longer and the flavour is a little different.

The main thing to watch in pea soup with smoked meats is the texture of the peas as the soup cooks. The split peas can be soaked in advance for 6 to 8 hours at room temperature, or covered with boiling water for 1 to 2 hours, which helps them cook more evenly. Bacon should be cooked just long enough to render its fat, and the ribs should be browned to a crust before the vegetables go in. After the peas cook for about 40 minutes, the peas should be almost tender before the diced potatoes and bay leaf are added, and the soup is ready when the potatoes are cooked through.

The best swaps for pea soup with smoked meats keep the smoked flavour even if the exact meats change. Smoked ribs are usually used for pea soup, but smoked sausages and other deli meats can also be added, and the source notes that smoked chicken sausages, hunting sausages, pork belly or bacon all work. The smoked taste is the important part, because without the smoked taste the soup loses its characteristic aroma and becomes an ordinary pea soup. Any change in smoked meat can also affect the richness and calories of the finished soup.

Pea soup with smoked meats should be served hot, seasoned only at the end with salt and pepper, and sprinkled with herbs before serving. Seasoning at the end helps because smoked meats already bring saltiness to the pot. The soup becomes thicker as it stands, so each bowl will feel a little richer after a short rest. Pea soup with smoked meats works well on its own as a filling meal.

Pea soup with smoked meats keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a closed container at 2 to 4°C. On the second day, pea soup with smoked meats becomes thicker, so a little hot water or broth can be added during reheating. Pea soup with smoked meats can also be frozen, but after thawing the peas break down more and the soup becomes thicker, almost like a purée, so the texture will be less distinct.

Questions about this recipe

How long does pea soup with smoked meats take to make?

Pea soup with smoked meats takes 1 hour 20 minutes in total. Active cooking time is 30 minutes, and the rest of the time is mostly for simmering the peas and broth.

Can I replace the smoked ribs in pea soup with smoked meats?

Smoked ribs can be replaced with smoked sausages, hunting sausages, pork belly or bacon. The important thing is to keep the smoked flavour, because the smoked flavour gives pea soup with smoked meats its characteristic aroma.

Can I freeze pea soup with smoked meats?

Pea soup with smoked meats can be frozen, but the texture changes after thawing. The peas break down more after freezing, so pea soup with smoked meats becomes thicker and almost like a purée.

How long does pea soup with smoked meats keep in the fridge?

Pea soup with smoked meats keeps for up to 3 days in a closed container at 2 to 4°C. Pea soup with smoked meats thickens on the second day, so a little hot water or broth can be added when reheating.