Split Pea Soup with Homemade Ham Bone Stock
This split pea soup with ham stock is a family recipe that I added a few tweaks to. We always make this after Easter with our leftover ham bone. Simple and delicious!
water, or more as needed
10
cups
meaty ham bone
1
baby carrots
½
pound
celery stalks, cut in thirds
½
pound
overripe tomato, punctured with a knife
1
large
onion, peeled and quartered
1
large
garlic, diced
3
cloves
bay leaves
2
butter
1
tablespoon
baby carrots, thinly sliced
½
pound
red onion, chopped
1
garlic, diced
3
cloves
dry white wine
1
cup
split peas, picked over
1
pound
russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2
sazon seasoning (such as Goya)
2
(1.41 ounce) packages
ground pepper, or more to taste
2
teaspoons
sea salt to taste
 Make stock: Combine water, ham bone, baby carrots, celery, tomato, quartered onion, garlic, and bay leaves in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer stock for 3 hours.
  Remove 1 1/2 to 2 cups ham meat from bone; dice and set aside for use in soup.
  Pour stock through a strainer and discard solids. Transfer stock to a covered container and refrigerate until fat rises to the top and solidifies, 1 to 3 hours.
  Skim off fat and pour stock into a slow cooker.
  Make soup: Melt butter in a large saucepan. Cook and stir baby carrots, red onion, and garlic in hot butter until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour wine into the pan and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add to the slow cooker.
  Rinse and drain split peas and add to the slow cooker. Add reserved ham meat, potatoes, sazon seasoning, black pepper, and sea salt; stir well.
  Cook on High until soup is thickened, 5 to 6 hours.
  Transfer about 1/3 of the soup to a blender. Cover and hold the lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Return purée to the slow cooker and stir.
