Northumberland Ham Broth
Northumberland ham broth is a traditional North East soup made with ham, split peas, lentils and grated vegetables, creating a rich, hearty meal that's perfect for a cold day.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- 1 Large pan or stockpot
- 1 Grater
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Slotted Spoon (or tongs)
- 1 Ladle
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg ham joint
- 200 g red lentils
- 200 g split yellow peas
- 5 carrots
- ½ swede (turnip)
- 1 leek
Instructions
- If your ham joint needs soaking, soak it overnight before cooking. See the FAQ for advice on checking whether soaking is necessary.
- Remove any packaging, string or cooking paper from the ham joint. Place it in a large pan or stockpot and cover with about 3 litres of cold water.
- Bring to the boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 3 hours, topping up with hot water if needed to keep the ham covered.
- Lift the ham from the stock. Trim away any excess fat if you wish, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pan.
- Peel and grate the swede (turnip) and carrots. Grate or finely chop the leek, then add the vegetables to the pan with the red lentils and yellow split peas.
- Return the broth to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little extra water if needed, until the split peas are soft and the broth is thick but still spoonable.
Notes
- Serve with crusty bread or slices of traditional stottie.
- Ham broth thickens as it cools. Add a splash of water when reheating if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Kitchen Tip: If the last layers of the leek are difficult to grate, simply snip them into small pieces with kitchen scissors.
- Tip: Cook a larger ham joint and use the leftovers for sandwiches, pease pudding stotties or a marmalade-glazed ham.