Pease pudding is a savoury side associated with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Jiggs’ Dinner. Yellow split peas are traditionally tied in a cloth pudding bag and cooked in the same pot as the dinner; saucepan versions are also made. This four-serving home version uses the bag method and finishes the tender peas with butter and black pepper.
The distinctive pudding bag lets split peas soften in the broth of a Newfoundland boiled dinner without dispersing through the pot. Families also cook peas directly in a saucepan, and the amount of salt varies with the dinner broth. This version leaves out added salt until tasting and uses unsalted butter, so it works in water as well as in a less-salty dinner pot.
Soak the peasSort and rinse the peas, cover with 1.5 L cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water.
Fill and simmer the bagWet a clean food-grade cotton pudding bag. Add the drained peas, leaving at least a third of the bag empty, and tie it securely without compressing the peas. Put it in a large pot and add 2 L water or dinner broth, enough to cover the bag by about 5 cm. Tie the bag to the pot handle so it hangs clear of the base. Bring to a boil, then cover partly and simmer gently for 90–120 minutes, turning the bag once or twice. Add boiling water if needed to keep it submerged.
Mash and serveLift the bag with tongs and let excess liquid drain. Open it carefully into a bowl; the peas should be completely soft with no hard centres. Add the butter and pepper and mash until thick and mostly smooth. Taste before adding salt, especially if you used dinner broth. Serve warm.
Pease pudding belongs beside Jiggs’ Dinner, but the bag can simmer in a separate pot of water. If using the dinner pot, make sure the bag does not touch the hot base and taste before seasoning because salt beef or other broth may already be salty. Without a pudding bag, simmer the soaked peas directly in a heavy saucepan, stir often and add hot water when needed to prevent sticking.
Cool leftovers promptly in a shallow covered container and refrigerate within two hours at 4°C or below. Use within 2–3 days or freeze. Reheat to 74°C, loosening with a little water if needed.
Estimate uses dry split peas and unsalted butter. Dinner broth or added salt can raise the sodium substantially; exact values vary by product.
Contains milk from butter. Dried peas are legumes; avoid this dish if you have a pea allergy, and check package labels for added ingredients and cross-contact warnings. Sort and rinse dry peas, and refrigerate them while soaking; drain and discard the soak water. Cook until every pea is fully soft. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within two hours at 4°C or below; use within 2–3 days or freeze, then reheat to 74°C.
No. The bag is a distinctive way to cook pease pudding in the Jiggs’ Dinner pot. A saucepan works too, but stir often and add hot water as needed to prevent sticking.
