Non-VegetarianNorth East English cuisine Main Course

Boiled Ham Shank with Pease Pudding

Name: Boiled Ham Shank with Pease Pudding
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North East English
Ingredients: 1.2 kg ham shank; 350 g yellow split peas; 1 whole Onion; 2 whole Carrots; 2 whole Celery sticks; 2 whole Bay leaves; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 40 g Unsalted butter; 0.5 tsp ground white pepper

Succulent, tender ham shank simmered until melting, paired with smooth, savoury yellow split pea pudding cooked directly in the rich ham broth.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East England

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 150 min
Total: 170 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 640 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

1¼ kg ham shank — unsmoked or lightly smoked, bone-in
350 g yellow split peas — soaked in cold water overnight and drained
1 whole Onion — peeled and halved
2 whole Carrots — scrubbed and roughly chopped
2 whole Celery sticks — roughly chopped
2 whole Bay leaves — dried or fresh
1 tsp whole black peppercorns — for the broth
40 g Unsalted butter — diced, for beating into pudding
½ tsp ground white pepper — to season the pudding

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Muslin cloth or pudding cloth
•Kitchen string
•Slotted spoon
•Colander
•Potato masher or wooden spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 640 kcal
fat: 28 g
carbs: 46 g
fibre: 14 g
protein: 52 g
calories: 640 kcal

Instructions

1
Soak the yellow split peas in cold water overnight, then drain them thoroughly.
2
Place the ham shank, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a large stockpot.
3
Cover the ingredients with cold water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat on the hob.
4
Skim off any foam from the surface using a slotted spoon, then lower the heat.
5
Tie the drained split peas loosely inside a clean muslin cloth using kitchen string.
6
Lower the cloth parcel into the simmering stockpot alongside the ham shank.
7
Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently for two to two and a half hours.
8
Lift out the pea parcel and ham shank when the pork is fork-tender.
9
Untie the cloth, tip the peas into a bowl, and mash with butter and white pepper until smooth.
10
Carve or pull the warm ham shank into thick pieces and serve alongside the pease pudding.

Chef's tips

Leave plenty of extra room in the muslin bag when tying it, as the split peas swell considerably while absorbing the broth. If your ham shank is strongly cured, soak it in fresh cold water for two hours before boiling to reduce excess saltiness.

Ingredient substitutions

muslin cloth method → simmering the drained peas directly in 650 ml of strained ham cooking broth in a saucepan until soft
ham shank → unsmoked gammon joint

Storage

Store leftover carved ham and pease pudding in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating

Warm the ham in a covered dish with a splash of broth in a moderate oven, and gently reheat the pease pudding in a saucepan over low heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Tying the muslin cloth too tightly, which prevents the peas from expanding and cooking through.
•Boiling the pot vigorously instead of gently simmering, resulting in tough pork.
•Adding table salt to the pease pudding before tasting, as the ham broth provides ample seasoning.

Serving suggestions

Serve with steamed Savoy cabbage or buttered boiled carrots.Ladle a little of the strained cooking broth over the sliced ham.Accompany with warm stottie cake or thick crusty bread.