SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH BEEF BONES RECIPES

Steps:

• Chop the onions, celery and carrots. Aim for 1/2-inch pieces, but don't get all OCD about it. You want them all roughly the same size, but a little bigger or smaller won't make a difference at all.
• Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the ribs on all sides. Remove the ribs to a plate, then add the chopped vegetables to the fat in the pot. Stir a minute or two until everything is coated in fat and starting to soften.
• Put the meat back in the pot, then add the split peas, pearl barley and dried dill. Add enough water to cover it all and bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer the soup at least 2 hours, until it is thickened and the meat is tender.
• Shred the meat with two forks (or your fingers if you've let the soup cool for a while). The bones will have slipped out of the meat, so fish them out from the bottom of the pot with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper - you will need much more salt than seems reasonable, but keep salting until it tastes right to you. Serve hot for a hearty one-pot lunch or dinner.

Steps:

• Combine cold water, top round cut in small pieces and salt in a 4-quart soup pot.
• Bring to a boil slowly, skim thorougly and add barley, split peas and peppercorns.
• Cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.
• Add chopped onions, carrots and celery and simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring frequently.
• To serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley.