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Split Peas are hard



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by




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 9:48 am
Every time I make split pea soup, the split peas remain hard, and do not turn to mush. What am I doing wrong?

TIA
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 9:51 am
You need to simmer the soup for 2 hours (or at least 1 1/2).
How long are you cooking it for?
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by




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 10:18 am
Thanks for the reply - usually at least that long, sometimes longer, but the split peas don't seem to get any mushier as time goes on....
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 10:20 am
Is the liquid simmmering the full 2 hours?

If you're still having trouble, make it in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Use less water.
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dbg




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:10 am
Add baking soda not too much like a teaspoon
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yogabird




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:14 am
OP are you in Israel?
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Vanilla




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:26 am
Split peas will never soften if cooked in any acid. Therefore, cook completely without other vegetables first, or else just use non acidic vegetables and as an added measure add a little baking soda to the water.
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by




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:36 am
yogabird wrote:
OP are you in Israel?


yes
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:51 am
Good catch pause! You reminded me that my relative in Israel told me that because of the hard water needs to use baking soda when cooking legumes.
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by




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 11:58 am
so to clarify, I should cook the split peas only with baking soda and then add to the soup, or I can put baking soda in the soup?
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penguin




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 1:58 pm
I think it can also help to soak them overnight before making the soup. In the summer, should be done in the refrigerator.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 2:02 pm
I'm in Israel and I never had this problem. I followed whatever online recipe I found. I did find that it became a delicious mush in the fridge overnight. I have it cold the next day. I make it with some barley, if that changes anything.
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 2:02 pm
Soak them in water and baking soda for 6 hours.
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MyUsername




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 30 2017, 3:28 pm
We make split pea soup every week (in Israel).

Soak the split peas overnight in the fridge. Drain the water from them.

Then cook the soup for a minimum of 2 hours - we usually cook for much longer than that. A pressure cooker can do it in much less.

I never heard of the baking soda, so I can't weigh in on that, but this works for us to have thick and delicious split pea soup all the time.
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by




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 11:59 am
Just an update - I finally had time to try...
I soaked the peas overnight, for almost a full day, and then I cooked only the peas with baking soda for at least two hours before I added anything else. Then I added vegetables and spices. BH it came out good, but can't say what it was that worked Wink
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Grateful2bhere




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 23 2018, 12:30 pm
I cook red lentils, & heard instructions once to be sure not to add salt until cooked or would become hard, perhaps here too?
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Bnei Berak 10




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:36 am
ra_mom wrote:
Good catch pause! You reminded me that my relative in Israel told me that because of the hard water needs to use baking soda when cooking legumes.


True! I live in Israel, all beans etc I cook with a pinch of baking soda and without salt for the entire time until they are mushy. don't use too much baking soda, I once used too much and had to throw out the entire batch. Salt makes the beans and legumes hard, so only add salt once they are mushy and done.

Years ago I found a packet of expired yellow peas in my mother's kitchen cabinet and I was sure they would never get soft. Until I tried. Approx 1 hour was what I need and they came out mushy the way I wanted them. She lived in a dry and cold climate, not like in Bnei Berak.

Air humidity also makes a difference. If you live in a climate with a lot of humidity it's more difficult to get the peas and legumes soft.
I buy my red beans for cholent in a vacuum pack for kashrut reasons (as they are very difficult to check for infestants due to the dark colour) and they get soft very quickly.


Last edited by Bnei Berak 10 on Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:46 am; edited 2 times in total
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Bnei Berak 10




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:40 am
by wrote:
so to clarify, I should cook the split peas only with baking soda and then add to the soup, or I can put baking soda in the soup?


Cook the peas separately and when you are happy with them you add the rest of vegetables.
Are your peas old? I found old peas impossible to ever get soft despite hours and hours of cooking.


Last edited by Bnei Berak 10 on Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:44 am; edited 1 time in total
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Bnei Berak 10




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:42 am
penguin wrote:
I think it can also help to soak them overnight before making the soup. In the summer, should be done in the refrigerator.


Correct. All legumes should be soaked overnight.
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Bnei Berak 10




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 24 2018, 2:43 am
MyUsername wrote:
We make split pea soup every week (in Israel).

Soak the split peas overnight in the fridge. Drain the water from them.

Then cook the soup for a minimum of 2 hours - we usually cook for much longer than that. A pressure cooker can do it in much less.

I never heard of the baking soda, so I can't weigh in on that, but this works for us to have thick and delicious split pea soup all the time.


What brand of peas are you using?
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