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Snert (Dutch Split Pea Soup)

This is a thick, hearty pea and ham soup that is traditional in the Netherlands. If you prefer a slightly thinner soup, feel free to add more water.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 46 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 26 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine central europe
Servings 8 people
Calories 5296.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stock Pot At least 8-quart capacity for simmering
  • 1 Slotted Spoon
  • 1 Fine-Mesh Sieve or Colander For straining split peas
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 pound bone-in gammon cured pork leg
  • 2 14 ounce bags dried split peas
  • 8 ounces pork belly
  • 1 small celeriac celery root, peeled and chopped
  • 2 leeks sliced into 1/2-inch rings
  • 2 small onions chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 smoked sausage
  • 1 bunch fresh celery leaves chopped
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place gammon in a large pot; cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add split peas and pork belly; simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface of the water.
  • Transfer gammon and pork belly to a plate using a slotted spoon. Strain split peas through a sieve, discarding water.
  • Place gammon, split peas, and pork belly back into the pot; cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently until gammon and pork belly are tender, 2 to 3 hours.
  • Transfer gammon and pork belly to a plate using a slotted spoon; cool until easily handled, about 10 minutes. Remove gammon from the bone and slice. Slice the meatiest parts off the pork belly.
  • Stir the chopped meat back into the pot. Add celeriac, leeks, onions, and carrot; simmer until softened, about 15 minutes. Add whole sausage link; simmer until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove sausage link and slice into small pieces; stir back into the soup.
  • Sprinkle celery leaves, salt, and pepper over soup. Simmer until celery leaves are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Notes

For a richer flavor base, consider sautéing the chopped onions, leeks, and carrots briefly before adding them to the soup, allowing them to soften and sweeten. The initial boil and discard of water for the gammon and peas is crucial for a cleaner soup, removing impurities and excess salt. Always taste and adjust seasoning, especially salt, towards the end of cooking, as the cured gammon and smoked sausage will contribute considerable salinity. For an even more robust broth, use good quality chicken or vegetable stock instead of just water in the second cooking phase. This soup is meant to be very thick; if you prefer a smoother consistency, a hand blender can be used to lightly purée a portion, but maintain some texture. Serve traditionally with rye bread and a dollop of mustard.