Snert (Split Pea Soup)

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) bag dried split peas
• 1 ham hock
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed
• 4 small potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 leek, diced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, stalks diced and leaves chopped
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (1 pound) package smoked sausage, sliced

Directions

Place dried split peas, ham hock, and bacon into slow cooker; pour in chicken broth and 3 1/2 cups water.

Cover cooker and cook on High until peas are tender and broken apart, 3 to 4 hours. Stir in more water as needed to prevent soup from burning on the bottom. Stir occasionally throughout cooking.

Stir potatoes, carrots, leek, onion, celery, and garlic into soup; mix in more water, if needed. Cover and cook soup on High for 2 more hours.

Season with salt, black pepper, thyme, nutmeg, and cloves; mix sausage slices into soup. Cover and cook 2 more hours to blend the flavors.