Stews are extremely popular here – and not just in fall and winter. They are usually quite easy to prepare and, in most cases, really delicious. A simple Green Split Pea Stew, as it is often served in the German Armed Forces, for example, may not be to everyone’s taste, but we love to cook this one in particular. So tasty! And it’s also great for freezing if you can’t manage to eat a large pot all at once. ;P
Lately, the topic of the German Armed Forces and a possible updated military service has been on everyone’s lips again. Back in the days (when I was young), it was still quite common to be invited to a medical examination and then either serve in the German Armed Forces for several months or do some kind of civilian service. I was working in a facility for kids where they could learn and play after school, for example. I actually enjoyed my time there… ;)
Saying that… I never ate an »original« pea stew, how it is actually served in facilities of the armed forces. In the place I was working, we were allowed to decide for ourselves what to eat. ;P However, a friend (who was a real soldier for some time) once made the stew for us and also shared the recipe. That stew is not hugely different from the pea stew Grandma always made, to be honest. ;P We already have a recipe for a Stew with Peas, Potato & Cured Pork on the blog, and the ingredients are very similar to the ones used here – but the result is quite different. ;)
For Grandma’s pea stew with cured pork, we always use whole dried peas, not split peas. That’s probably the most significant difference to this stew here. You can use different types of veggies, meats, etc. as you wish, and the result will be quite similar. However, if you use regular dried peas instead of dried split peas, it will have a major impact on the consistency of the stew.
If you don’t want to use pork belly, bacon, or meat in general (for whatever reason), you can leave it out, of course. If you prefer a vegetarian diet, you can easily prepare the stew without the meaty add-ins. You may need to season it a little more to compensate for the lack of the pork belly, because it adds a lot of flavors and saltiness.
Whole dried peas vs. dried split peas – what’s the difference?
When cooking pea stew, you have the choice between dried whole peas* or dried split peas*. As the name suggests, for the first option, the peas are whole and still have their natural shell. This means they take much longer to soak and cook, but they also add a more hearty flavor to the stew.
Split peas, on the other hand, are shelled and often halved peas. Without their firm shell, they cook much faster, break down more easily during cooking, and thus provide a creamier consistency in stews or soups. They are perfect when you want to cook something a little quicker. Both varieties work well in a stew/soup – it just depends on how quickly you want to get the food on the table and what type of texture you prefer… However, you can achieve the same creamy texture with unpeeled peas when using an immersion blender. ;P
If you enjoy cooking stews, you’re sure to find plenty more to try here on the blog. We have compiled everything we have published so far on our small overview page for stew recipes. Two of our favorite recipes can be found right here as well…
Our simple Potato Soup with Sausages (Wieners) is technically a soup, but thanks to its consistency and all the ingredients, we’ve packed into the pot, this one definitely belongs in the stew category. At least for us. It’s one of our favorite dishes to cook in fall and winter. So good!
If you want to let your oven do most of the work for a change, take a look at our Braised Mushroom, White Beans & Leek Stew. This stew simmers slowly in the oven and the ingredients have plenty of time to develop a lot of flavors. A really delicious stew!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(5-6 servings)
1-2 tbsp. oil for frying
1 tbsp. butter for frying
10 oz. (300g) pork belly, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, diced
1 piece knob celery, diced
1 leek, sliced into rings
17.6 oz. (500g) split green peas*
2-3 sprigs of parsley (curly or flat-leaf), chopped
2 tsp. marjoram*
1 tsp. chili flakes* (optional)
salt, pepper
68 fl. oz. (2l) veggie stock (hot)
14 oz. (400g) floury potatoes, cut into pieces
some white wine vinegar to taste
some additional chopped parsley for garnish
(5-6 Portionen)
1-2 EL Öl zum Anbraten
1 EL Butter zum Anbraten
300g Bauchspeck (geräuchert), in Scheiben
1 große Zwiebel, fein gewürfelt
2-3 Knoblauchzehen, fein gehackt
2-3 Karotten, gewürfelt
1 Stück Knollensellerie, gewürfelt
1 Stange Lauch, in Ringen
500g grüne Schälerbsen*
2-3 Stiele Petersilie (kraus oder glatt), gehackt
2 TL Majoran*
1 TL Chiliflocken* (optional)
Salz, Pfeffer
2L Gemüsebrühe (heiß)
400g Kartoffeln (mehligkochend), in Stücken
etwas Weißweinessig zum Abschmecken
etwas gehackte Petersilie für die Dekoration
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start by preparing the veggies – peel and finely dice/chop the onion and garlic. Peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes. Clean the knob celery and cut it into small pieces as well. Cut the leek into rings, rinse well and drain. Wash and dry the parsley, and then chop it coarsely. Cut the pork belly into thin slices. Keep everything ready for cooking.
2. Heat up a large Dutch oven* with some oil and the butter. Add the pork belly and sear it for a few minutes – the meat should become a little crispy and browned here and there. Next, add the onion and garlic and sauté briefly with the meat. When the onions are soft and glossy, add the diced carrots, knob celery, and leek and stir-fry everything for a few minutes.
3. When the veggies have softened a bit, add the split peas, stir them in and stir-fry them together with the veggies briefly. Next, add the chopped parsley and marjoram. If you like it spicier, you can also add some chili flakes (optional). Season with salt and pepper, then deglaze everything with the hot veggie stock. Reduce the heat a bit, cover the pot and let the stew simmer for about 20 minutes. Check and stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning on the bottom of the pot.
4. While the stew is simmering, peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, then add them to the pot, cover it again, and let the stew simmer for another 35-40 minutes. Again, check and stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning. Before serving, season with more salt, pepper, if needed, as well as some vinegar. Arrange in bowls with some additional chopped parsley.
1. Mit dem Vorbereiten des Gemüses starten – dazu die Zwiebel und den Knoblauch schälen und fein würfeln bzw. hacken. Die Karotten schälen und in kleine Würfel schneiden. Das Stück Knollensellerie säubern und dann ebenfalls in kleine Stücke schneiden. Den Lauch in Ringe schneiden, gut durchspülen und abtropfen lassen. Die Petersilie waschen, trocknen und dann grob hacken. Den Bauchspeck in dünne Scheiben schneiden. Alles zum Kochen bereithalten.
2. Einen großen (gusseisernen) Topf* mit ein wenig Öl und Butter erhitzen. Den Bauchspeck dazugeben und einige Minuten anbraten – der Speck darf hier und da etwas knuspriger werden. Als Nächstes die Zwiebel und den Knoblauch dazugeben und kurz mit anschwitzen lassen. Wenn die Zwiebeln glasig aussehen, Karottenwürfel, Knollensellerie und Lauch dazugeben und alles unter ständigem Rühren einige Minuten anrösten lassen.
3. Wenn das Gemüse etwas weicher ist, die Erbsen dazugeben, untermengen und kurz mit anbraten. Die gehackte Petersilie und den Majoran dazugeben. Wer es etwas schärfer mag, kann auch noch Chiliflocken mit dazugeben (optional). Mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen, dann alles mit der heißen Gemüsebrühe ablöschen. Die Hitzezufuhr reduzieren und alles abgedeckt für etwa 20 Minuten köcheln lassen. Zwischendurch immer wieder mal checken und umrühren, damit nichts am Boden des Topfes einbrennt.
4. Die Kartoffeln schälen und in mundgerechte Stücke schneiden, dann in den Topf dazugeben und alles noch einmal abgedeckt für etwa 35-40 Minuten köcheln lassen. Auch hier immer wieder checken und umrühren, damit nichts anbrennt. Vor dem Servieren noch einmal (falls notwendig) mit Salz, Pfeffer würzen, sowie mit etwas Essig abschmecken und dann in Schüsseln mit etwas zusätzlicher gehackter Petersilie anrichten.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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(German) Green Split Pea Stew
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 01:00
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: -
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
The German armed forces are known for one thing: (German) Green Split Pea Stew. They also fight, of course, but the stew is much more important! ;P
Ingredients
1-2 tbsp. oil for frying
1 tbsp. butter for frying
10 oz. (300g) pork belly, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, diced
1 piece knob celery, diced
1 leek, sliced into rings
17.6 oz. (500g) split green peas*
2-3 sprigs of parsley (curly or flat-leaf), chopped
2 tsp. marjoram*
1 tsp. chili flakes* (optional)
salt, pepper
68 fl. oz. (2l) veggie stock (hot)
14 oz. (400g) floury potatoes, cut into pieces
some white wine vinegar to taste
some additional chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Start by preparing the veggies – peel and finely dice/chop the onion and garlic. Peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes. Clean the knob celery and cut it into small pieces as well. Cut the leek into rings, rinse well and drain. Wash and dry the parsley, and then chop it coarsely. Cut the pork belly into thin slices. Keep everything ready for cooking.
2. Heat up a large Dutch oven* with some oil and the butter. Add the pork belly and sear it for a few minutes – the meat should become a little crispy and browned here and there. Next, add the onion and garlic and sauté briefly with the meat. When the onions are soft and glossy, add the diced carrots, knob celery, and leek and stir-fry everything for a few minutes.
3. When the veggies have softened a bit, add the split peas, stir them in and stir-fry them together with the veggies briefly. Next, add the chopped parsley and marjoram. If you like it spicier, you can also add some chili flakes (optional). Season with salt and pepper, then deglaze everything with the hot veggie stock. Reduce the heat a bit, cover the pot and let the stew simmer for about 20 minutes. Check and stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning on the bottom of the pot.
4. While the stew is simmering, peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, then add them to the pot, cover it again, and let the stew simmer for another 35-40 minutes. Again, check and stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning. Before serving, season with more salt, pepper, if needed, as well as some vinegar. Arrange in bowls with some additional chopped parsley.
Notes
Make something amazing in the kitchen!
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