Cow Heel Soup
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Cow heel, cleaned and cut into pieces — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Split peas (yellow) — 150 g (¾ cup)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Fresh thyme — 4 sprigs
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Chive or scallion, chopped — 2 tbsp
- Yam, cubed — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Dasheen or eddoes, cubed — 200 g (7 oz)
- Green fig (unripe banana), peeled and halved — 2
- Water — 2.5 L (10 cups)
- Salt, — to taste
- Lime, for cleaning the meat — 1
Method
- Rub cow heel pieces with lime juice and rinse well to clean; this reduces any strong odour.
- Place cow heel in a large pot (or pressure cooker) with 2 L (8 cups) water. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, then simmer covered for 2–2.5 hours (or 45 minutes under pressure) until very tender and the broth is rich and slightly gelatinous.
- Add split peas, onion, garlic, and thyme; simmer 30 minutes until peas soften.
- Add yam, dasheen, and green fig; simmer 20–25 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add the whole scotch bonnet for the last 10 minutes of cooking for aroma without excessive heat.
- Season with salt to taste, stir in chive, and remove the scotch bonnet before serving.
- Ladle into deep bowls, ensuring each portion has meat, vegetables, and broth.
Introduction: Cow heel soup is a rich, gelatin-thickened weekend soup found in Trinidadian homes and cook-shops, made by long-simmering cow heel with root vegetables and split peas.
Cultural Background: Cow heel soup is a rich, gelatin-thickened weekend soup found in Trinidadian homes and cook-shops, made by long-simmering cow heel with root vegetables and split peas. It reflects a nose-to-tail cooking tradition brought by African and Indian communities, prized for its deeply savoury broth.
Tips: A pressure cooker dramatically cuts cooking time and is commonly used in Trinidadian kitchens for this dish – use it if available.
Variations: Cow foot or oxtail can substitute for cow heel using the same method and timing adjustments.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days; the broth will gel when cold, which is normal – it loosens again on reheating. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through and the broth has loosened.
FAQs:
Q: Why rub the meat with lime first?
A: It helps clean the meat and neutralizes any strong smell, a common Caribbean prep technique.
Q: Can I make this soup ahead?
A: Yes, it tastes even better the next day once flavours meld.
Q: What are green figs?
A: Unripe green bananas, used as a starchy vegetable rather than a fruit in Caribbean cooking.
- Cow heel, cleaned and cut into pieces — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Split peas (yellow) — 150 g (¾ cup)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Fresh thyme — 4 sprigs
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Chive or scallion, chopped — 2 tbsp
- Yam, cubed — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Dasheen or eddoes, cubed — 200 g (7 oz)
- Green fig (unripe banana), peeled and halved — 2
- Water — 2.5 L (10 cups)
- Salt, — to taste
- Lime, for cleaning the meat — 1
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