How to Dry Split Peas

Split peas are made from regular, smooth-skinned garden peas. They are harvested and dried before the skin is removed and the splitting is done. As a dried legume, split peas can be stored for a long time without any refrigeration. Since the peas are split, they have a much shorter cooking time than other dried legumes. Split peas are famously used in split pea soup, but they can also be used in place of or in addition to dried beans in many recipes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baking sheets
• Paper towels
• Meat mallet
• Plastic bags

1. Pick the peas when the pod has swelled and the peas inside are full and round. Open a single pod and taste the peas to verify they are at the height of flavor.

2. Split open the pods and remove the peas. Spread them out in a single layer on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Place the peas in a warm, well-ventilated room to dry for two to three weeks.

3. Remove the dried hull from each pea. Split the hull open by rapping it gently with a small meat mallet, then peel the rest away.

4. Place a dull knife into the natural slit in the hulled pea seed. Split the pea into two halves by levering the blade into the slit.

5. Store split peas in a sealed bag in a cool, dry place for up to one year. No soaking is required before using.

Tips & Warnings

• If hulls aren't a concern in your recipe, place the dried peas in a sealed bag and rap smartly with a meat mallet or hammer to break apart the peas. They'll cook as fast as split peas but won't be as tender.
• Splitting peas manually is tedious work. Purchased split peas are an inexpensive alternative.

References

• University of Illinois Extension