| 1 | The night before you plan to make this soup, soak the feet or hocks in brine (1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water). |
| 2 | They should be completely covered. |
| 3 | Put the split peas to soak in plain cool water. |
| 4 | There should be about 2 inches of water over the peas--they will swell quite a bit. |
| 5 | The meat should be put in the refrigeratior overnight; the peas may be, too, but it is less important. |
| 6 | In the morning, take the meat out of the brine, put it in a 8 qt. pot, add the peas, onion and 2 quarts of fresh water. |
| 7 | Bring to a boil. |
| 8 | Skim off any foam that comes to the top, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 6 or more hours, stirring occasionally so the peas do not stick to the bottom of the pot. |
| 9 | The meat should be fallng off the bones, and the soup should be quite thick and fairly smooth. |
| 10 | Take the meat and bones out of the soup and cool slightly. |
| 11 | Take the meat off the bones and cut into smaller pieces. |
| 12 | Put the meat back into the soup and reheat if necessary. |
| 13 | Serve with a small pat of butter in the center of each bowl. |
