When the weather turns cool, we like a hearty and nourishing slow cooker recipe that leaves us with plenty of leftovers to heat up during the week. We’ll be sending you some of our staff favorites over the coming months, and we thought we would get a start this week with Mark’s favorite Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Hocks recipe.

This particular recipe is an almost effortless act of alchemy, transforming dried peas and a few simple ingredients into an incredibly creamy, hearty meal that feeds 8-10 people. The ingredients are simple and easy to come by, and the preparation is easier still, requiring only a few minutes of prep time, and then patience… The secret ingredient, of course, is a delicious house smoked pork hock from Kettle Range (antibiotic free, of course!).

Ingredients for this recipe

• 1lb split peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 smoked pork hock, 1lb-ish (available year-round at Kettle Range)
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt and black pepper

How to make this recipe

Layer the peas in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Add the chopped vegetables, garlic, parsley and the bay leaf–you don’t even need to mix it up.  Set the smoked pork hock gently on top.  Add the chicken broth, water, and salt and pepper.

That’s it… really!

Now, if you have the time, set your slow cooker on Low for 8-10 hours and enjoy your day. If you’re in a hurry, 5 hours on the High setting should do it.

After it is done cooking, it should be easy to separate the meat from the bone with a fork.  Be careful not to burn your fingers!  Remove the bone and serve–We like it with some warm corn bread or a crusty chuck of sheepherder’s bread.

Wanna spice it up?

Want a bit more spice in your Split Pea Soup? How about adding some of Jerry’s Smoked Andouille sausage? It’s precooked.  Just slice it into bite-size pieces and add to the slow cooker at the same time you add the hocks.  Delicious!

Bon appetit!