Thick ham and split pea soup made with New Belgium Shift. Comfort food in a bowl.
I LOVE split pea soup. It’s not something I remember having growing up, but I started making it a few years ago and can not get enough. The hearty texture, the ham, and of course the beer, all make for one big bowl of goodness! Throw in a huge loaf of crusty bread for dipping, and I’m in heaven!
This recipe can easily be made in a slow cooker or on the stove top. It’s pretty much the same amount of work both ways. You just need to stir it more often on the stove.
I highly recommend using a homemade or low sodium chicken stock for this recipe because ham is high in salt and it may become too salty.
On to the beer. I went with New Belgium Shift. As you can tell, we had a bunch of this stuff at the house. The grains kind of give it a slight bread taste, which is perfect since I love dipping bread in this soup!
Again, I would avoid hoppy beers. They’ll be overpowering. I try to suggest beers that I’ve tried and are pretty common everywhere. Of course you can try any Lager, Pilsner, Belgian or Wheat beer you like. You’ll need something with an earthy, grainy, bread like taste to it. I’d steer clear of the raspberry flavored wheat beer for this recipe ;)
Please feel free to share your suggestions for a beer you think would work well in this dish in the comment section below.
Other Beers to Try:
- Fat Tire- New Belgium
- UFO White- Harpoon Brewery
- Easy Street Wheat- Odell Brewing
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ¼ Medium Onion- Chopped
- 2 Large Carrots- Diced
- 1 Stack Celery- Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic- Chopped
- 12 Ounce Ham- Chopped
- 1 Pound Dried Split Peas
- ⅔ Cup Beer
- 4½ Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic, and Ham. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until slightly tender and ham is brown.
- Stir in the Beer and Chicken Stock, followed by the Split Peas. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for one hour or until the peas are tender.
- Slow Cooker: Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except the ham. In a skillet, heat ½ tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the ham, and brown on each side slightly. Add the ham to the slow cooker and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- Browning the ham is optional, but I feel it adds an extra layer of flavor.
I’ll have to get you to cook me some one day. Soup on a cold day really warms you up. We had Veg. beef stew last night & it was delicious. Have a good day. Love You, Mom
You need to start making a list of stuff you want me to make :)
Love a classic ham and split pea soup. Thanks for reminding me how delicious it is - I have to make it!
I forget about it too! It’s so good!