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Pot of cow heel soup with a ladle in the pot.
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Cow Heel Soup

Cow heel, ground provision and split peas boiled together in a deliciously satisfying broth.
Course Whole30
Cuisine Caribbean
Keyword Caribbean cow heel soup, cow heel soup, cow heel soup recipe, Guyanese cow heel soup, is cow heel soup healthy
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6 Hearty Servings
Calories 322kcal
Author Althea Brown

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or Traditional Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs cow heel/feet
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar (plus about 4 cups of water for washing the cow heel)
  • 1 cup yellow split peas (rinsed)
  • 1 large yellow onion (diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (grated)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or salt to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups water (add an addition 2 cups if needed)
  • 3 lbs ground provision in any combination (peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces)
  • 1 cup chopped spinach (frozen or fresh)(optional)
  • 3 wiri wiri peppers (may substitute with habanero pepper)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the vinegar and about 4 cups of water. Then submerge the cow heel in vinegar and water mixture. Let the cow heel sit sit for about 15 minutes before draining and rinsing thoroughly.
  • Next add the cow heel, split peas, onion, garlic, thyme, 6 cups of water and salt to the instant pot or traditional pressure cooker. Then seal up and pressure cook on high until the cow heel/feet is tender (about 1 hour)
  • Vent the pressure cooker or instant pot, then transfer the cooked cow heel and the broth to a large stock pot on high heat.
  • Add the ground provision (root vegetables). If you are using cassava, add the cassava followed by 4 cups of water. Mix well, cover and bring up to boil. Cook the cassava for 10 minutes, before adding in the remaining root vegetables (ground provision).
  • Continue to cook until the ground provision is fork tender, then add in the spinach (if using) and wiri wiri peppers. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes before removing from the heat. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. Rinsing the cow heel with vinegar helps to remove any impurities or smell.
  2. In the US the cow heel is already shaved and prepped however, you may need to examine it for the presence of any tiny hairs.  I use a new disposable razor to shave any bits of hair on the cow heel before cooking.
  3. For this recipe I used 1 lb of cassava, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 yellow plantains and 2 small eddoes. You can vary your root vegetables to your taste. 

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 1165mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 32741IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg