Split Pea Soup Recipe with Pork Confit

Put away grandma’s recipe because this homemade split pea soup loaded up with pork confit is hands down the best around.

Nothing more comforting than a classic soup like this one. It’s incredibly delicious and perfect for those cold winter days. This is a can’t miss recipe that your whole family will absolutely love.

Ingredients for this recipe:

For the Pork Confit:

• 1 large chopped yellow onion
• 10 galric cloves
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
• 4 cups olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste

For the Soup:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
• 4 peeled and medium diced carrots
• 4 stalks medium diced celery
• 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup chardonnay wine
• 2 cups peas
• 2 cups split peas
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 medium diced russet potatoes
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• optional crème fraiche for garnish

Serves 16

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Procedures:

1. Pork: Preheat the oven to 300°.
2. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf to a medium size sauce pot.
3. Next, each pork tenderloin in half and season well on all sides with salt and pepper and add it to the pot with the vegetables and herbs.
4. Add in oil and make sure the pork is submerged.
5. Cook in the oven for 4 hours.
6. Remove from the oven and add each pork tenderloin to a large frying pan over medium high heat until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
7. Shred the pork using 2 forks. Note: Strain the confit fat and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month for other confit recipes.
8. Soup: With about 2 hours left in the cooking process of the pork confit add the butter to a large pot over medium heat along with the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sweat for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly render.
9. Add in the peas, split peas and chicken stock and simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes or until the peas have broken down and the soup is thick.
10. With about 20 minutes left in the cooking process add the potatoes to the soup and cook until tender.
11. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper and adding in the shredded pork.
12. Pour some into a bowl and add on optional crème fraiche garnish and serve.

CHEF NOTES:
• How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of soup to a small size pot and heat over low heat until the soup is hot. In addition, you can heat in a microwave safe bowl until hot.

• How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

• How to Freeze: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.

• Make Ahead: Make this soup and chill it up to 2 days before serving it. Reheat and adjust seasonings before serving.

• If you want the soup to be runnier you can blend it in a blender until it is smooth. Do this before adding in the pork.

• The confit fat when done being used is seasoned and delicious. Be sure to drain it of the vegetables and herbs and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month before using again to confit other meats such as beef or chicken.