Irish "matter of Fact Peas" (Mushy Peas)

  • Prep Time: 8 hrs
  • Total Time: 8 hrs 20 mins
  • Servings: 4-6

    • About This Recipe

    “You can also buy these peas canned but they are quite expensive and are so easy to make. These peas are also common in England as Pub Fare. I love them served with good Bangers (sausages) and a green saladWhat we call Baking soda in Canada isknown elsewhere as bicarbonate of soda.”

    Ingredients

  • 8ouncesdried split marrowfat peas( other may be substituted if not available)
  • 1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 3 1/2 cupsboiling water
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1pinchsugar
  • butter

    • Directions

  • Put the peas in a bowl, add baking soda, pour on the boiling water and soak overnight.
  • Next day drain and barely cover the peas with water, bring to a boil and simmer until tender and soft apprx 15-20 minutes, drain.
  • Add salt pepper pinch of sugar and the butter, stir and serve.

    • Reviews

  • “Awesome.Simply awesome.Exactly like the Highland Games….I love this recipie just as is.My family’s reactions: my wife (Norwegian) made a face; so did my daughter.However, my son suggested just a tad more sugar and he’d be happy (go figure.) Such a good Celtic lad….I score this a win.”

  • “oh thank you!as a brit living in canada i really missed mushy peas,thanks again for posting!!”

  • “Wow!I was a little skeptical about how this would taste, but it’s wonderful!I made it exactly to the recipe and we all loved it.The smooth, creamy, mushy texture is pure comfort food.Served with malt vinegar like others suggested – yum!”

  • “Tastes good with potato. Mint and garlic are recommended.”

  • “I was looking for a recipe to use dried split peas that wasn’t soup. This recipe is a winner! It not only is an ultimate in comfort food, but can also be flavored in many different ways. I’ve made it 3 times in 2 weeks already. I haven’t tried it with sugar yet, although I intend to. I read that adding mint is traditional for this dish and will try that. I also read that adding malt vinegar is common. Our local market doesn’t have malt vinegar, but I can attest that balsamic vinegar tastes great on this! Adding favorites spices, garlic, more pepper – all good! Addingleftover shredded chicken, sour cream, salsa and tortilla chips – fabulous. I love it plain, too.”

  • “Och!That’s the way my wee Scottish Grannie makes ’em!”

  • “This tastes so good!! Mine looks like mashed peas when finished. I use dried split peas because I haven’t found anything labeled split marrow-fat peas (Maybe the same thing??) So simple and such comfort food. This is a great side dish for almost anything.”

  • “We enjoyed these very much! I think the secret is to boil them for long enough that, when you stir them, they start to disintegrate – then they’re ready!I added a splash of malt (& a splash of balsamic) vinegar so they tasted more like the ones we get from the chip shop!We can buy tins of these quite cheaply here in the UK, but these taste far better! Thanks Bergy!!”

  • “We do love these in Ireland, although for as long as I can remember they’ve always been splashed with malt brown vinegar when they’re hot.They’re still lovely without it though.”

  • “Made for the St. Patrick’s Day Menu Challenge. These don’t smell so good when you make them, but taste great! I’m wondering if I did something wrong since when I boiled them, the shells popped off, so it was a bowl of half peas and half shells. The other chef’s photos posted look more like split peas. The flavor was great though – tastier than your average peas!”

  • “What a treat!! Loved ’em.”

  • “yup thats the ticket excellent Happy burns night to you”

  • “Thanks Bergy for posting this recipe! I used to have it, but I cannot find it as it was written down on a scrap of paper! I made these on Friday – ‘photo to follow….they were great, very authentic! I ALWAYS add a splash of Malt Vinegar for a truly British taste to mine; I don’t have to beg all my family & friends to bring “Chip Shop Mushy Peas” over when they come now….or sit with boxes of them on my lap when travelling by car to/from the UK!Great recipe – it’s in my Fish & Chip Menu already.”

  • “Found your site whilst searching for a genuine English (or Irish) Mushy peas recipe. I’m and ex-pat Brit. Have been living in USA for 25 years. Had a sudden craving for mushy peas. My American wife from the cornbread and grits belt says mushy peas sound yucky. Philistines.Thanks.”

  • “I’m not a big fan of mushy peas but I made these for my husband and kids to have with fish and chips and they thought they had died and gone to heaven. I followed the recipe exactly and they LOVED them!!!”

  • “DH is british and he missed these desperatly… I added a bit of garlic before simmering. It gave it a great kick. I love how these are thicker than the canned ones we get at a Scottish/British grocery shop, the flavor is so much better too! Yum!”

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