Rick's Yummy Split Pea Soup with Ham Recipe

Place the split peas into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand for at least 3 hours. Rinse peas until the water runs clear; drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion carrots and celery in hot oil until soft 8 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant about 1 minute.

Combine peas onion mixture 6 cups chicken broth bay leaf black pepper and thyme together in a large pot. Stir neck bones into chicken broth mixture adding more chicken broth as necessary to cover bones completely. Bring mixture to a boil reduce heat to medium-low cover the pot and simmer until peas have dissolved and meat is falling from the bones 2 to 3 hours. Transfer bones to a plate to cool.

Stir cubed ham into soup. When neck bones are cool enough to handle remove remaining meat from the bones; discard bones and stir meat into soup. Continue to simmer until ham and meat are heated through about 5 minutes.