Split Peas with Bacon

5 (1)

This dish was inspired by the many varieties of Lentil side dishes that are readily accessible these days. Lentils have become an increasingly popular ingredient in recent years. They have a very similar consistency to Split Peas and are both part of the legume family. Split Peas are synonymous with Soups; however, we’ve created a heartier alternative for this wonderful vegetable. Pairing Split Peas with Bacon and Mushrooms in a hearty side dish turned out to be one of the tastiest dishes we’ve enjoyed in a long time. So, we’re excited to share with you all how to make this wonderful dish

Who says you must put Split Peas in a Soup?

Almost all the recipes you can find online including Split Peas involve some kind of Soup. Sure, they’re great in that type of cuisine, but they are so much more versatile than simply having them swimming in some liquid! They are sponges for flavor, so pairing them with rich flavors like Bacon and Mushroom such as in this dish allows them to take on a beautiful, deep flavor

The consistency of Split Peas is very similar to Lentils. When cooked properly, they are still firm to the bite, but break up into a beautiful, almost creamy like texture when eaten. They fall somewhere between Rice and Lentils on the consistency scale, making them perfect for more hearty-style dishes such as this one

Hey, if you’re a diehard for Soup we’re sure you can add some Chicken or Beef Broth to this dish and make a lovely Split Pea with Bacon Soup, however we encourage you to try to resist that urge! Allow the flavors of the Bacon and Mushrooms to meld into the Split Peas and enjoy this dish as a hearty side, or even as its own main course

Consider this dish like how you would a side of Seasoned Rice or even Risotto

This dish serves the same purpose as a Risotto or Seasoned Rice. It is amazing to enjoy on its own and also makes for a beautiful side to a larger meal. It pairs exceptionally well with many kinds of proteins such as Fish, Pork, or Chicken. In fact, we paired this dish with Crispy Skin Chicken, and it came out unbelievably tasty (recipe coming soon)

Split Peas act in the same way as Rice does in that they will take on the flavors that they are cooked in. In a Risotto you typically cook it slowly, adding ladles of flavored Broth to absorb into the Water. This dish does the same thing, but there’s no need to be as precise or labor intensive as when making a Risotto

However, this dish is so much easier

I’ve found when making this Hearty Split Peas with Bacon dish that it’s a lot easier, and much more forgiving than making Risotto or Seasoned Rice. The Split Peas are so much more durable than Rice and are so simple to cook

To cook the Split Peas, add 1 part Peas to 3 parts Water or Broth into a Saucepan. Bring to a boil, drop the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes until tender. You can strain out any excess liquid and they’re good to go. It’s that easy

Unlike perfecting steamed Rice, (which we’ve done in this recipe) You really don’t need to do anything to the Split Peas once they start simmering. Just leave them until they’re done. Some recipes may suggest you should skim the Split Peas throughout, but we’ve found this isn’t necessary. Just give the peas a quick wash before you start cooking and they’ll be fine

Once cooked, you can then add the Split Peas to hot frying pans filled with all kinds of beautiful flavors. They are so durable that they can continue cooking for a few minutes to allow them to absorb flavors without losing their amazing texture

The Split Peas will absorb all that beautiful Bacon flavor

The (not so secret) secret to achieving immense flavor in this dish all comes from the Bacon. We recommend using Steaky Bacon with a high fat content, as the goal is to render off that Bacon Fat and then use it to flavor the cooked Split Peas

To prepare the Bacon, simply slice it up into strips and then pan fry until the fat has rendered and the Bacon has turned crispy. Contrary to popular belief, Bacon is a little more difficult to cook than people would have you believe. The fine line between perfectly cooked, crispy Bacon and it being overcooked is only a matter of seconds

Once you notice most of the fat has been rendered from the Bacon, tilt the pan and allow the Bacon pieces to pool in the hot Bacon fat for about 20 seconds. Then, immediately remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel. The Bacon may not look completely cooked, but once they spend a few minutes cooling down, it will start to crisp up

Leaving the bacon in the pan until it looks ‘done’ and then removing it is fraught with disaster as the Bacon will continue to cook, likely overcooking, once you remove it from the pan

Leave that beautiful Bacon Fat (otherwise known as liquid gold) in the pan then it’s time to add the Onions, Mushrooms, and Split Peas to the dish to absorb all that ridiculously good flavor!

Split Peas themselves don’t carry a lot of flavor, but absorb it better than anything

So, in addition to the beautiful Bacon Fat, we include many more rich flavors that give this Hearty Split Peas and Bacon dish it’s amazing flavors. The flavors come in the way of beautifully Caramelized Onions, earthy Mushrooms, and some good quality homemade Chicken Broth

We add the Mushrooms and Onions straight into the same pan the Bacon was cooked in, allowing that Bacon Fat to flavor the vegetables. Usually when caramelizing Onions, you do so over a low heat, however for this recipe we cook them along with the Mushrooms over a medium heat. This helps to ensure the Mushrooms and Onions cook at the same time

The Bacon Fat will hasten the caramelization process, so you only need about 10 minutes in the pan before they become beautifully golden-brown and delicious!

The Split Peas are cooked in Chicken Broth. Like how you would make a Risotto, the Peas will absorb all the flavors of the liquid they’re cooked in. Therefore, we highly recommend using a good quality, homemade Chicken Broth (never store bought) to yield the best result

If you don’t have any Broth that’s ok, you can substitute it with Water. The flavor won’t be as intense in the final dish, but it’ll still be plenty tasty given all the other ingredients we’re adding

Hearty Split Peas with Bacon Recipe

• 1 cup of Split Peas
• 8 Rashers of Streaky Bacon, cut into pieces
• 3 cups of Chicken Broth (recipe here) or Water
• 1 Brown Onion, sliced
• 150g / 5 oz. sliced Button or Cremini Mushrooms
• Juice of ½ a Lemon
• ½ tsp. Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Add the Split Peas and Chicken Broth to a Saucepan. Bring to a boil then drop the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the Split Peas are cooked. Strain any excess liquid then set aside
2.  Add the Bacon pieces to a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 6 – 7 minutes until the fat has rendered and the Bacon is just cooked and starting to crisp up. Remove Bacon from pan and set aside on a paper towel
3. Retain the Bacon Fat in the same pan and add the Mushrooms and Onions. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables have caramelized
4. Add the cooked Split Peas to the pan and stir through to reheat then serve
   
   

We highly recommend you give this delicious and Hearty Split Peas with Bacon dish a try. It’s a fantastic alternative to Lentils or Rice. It is so easy to make, and is packed with a huge amount of flavor

For more amazing Side Dishes that taste great, head on over to our Sides page and give it a browse. Here’s a few of our favorite Side Dishes we recommend you try out:

• Chili Cheese Fries
• Japanese Pickled Radishes
• Crispy Duck Fat Potatoes
• Authentic German Potato Salad
  
  

Happy Cooking!