A hearty Quebec-style yellow pea and beef stew simmered long and slow, warming comfort food from rural French Canada.
This stew draws on the tradition of Quebec's habitant cooking, hearty rural dishes built around dried legumes and whatever cut of meat was on hand, meant to feed a large family through a long winter. Yellow split peas simmer for hours alongside chunks of beef until both break down into a thick, cohesive stew, with the peas naturally thickening the broth without any flour or cornstarch needed. A simple base of onion, carrot and a bay leaf keeps the seasoning restrained, letting the long simmer do the work of developing flavor rather than relying on a long spice list. Browning the beef well before it goes into the pot builds a foundation the hours of simmering can draw from. This is unpretentious, deeply warming rural cooking, the kind of one-pot stew meant to be ladled generously over bread and eaten slowly on a cold winter night in the countryside outside Quebec's cities.
Serves 6
Pat the beef dry and season with salt. Heat oil in a large pot and brown in batches, about 5-6 minutes per batch.
In the same pot, cook onion and carrots for 8 minutes until softened.
Return the beef to the pot along with split peas, water or stock, bay leaves and thyme.
Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1.5 to 2 hours until the peas break down and the beef is fork-tender.
Stir every 20-30 minutes during the long simmer — the peas can settle and stick to the bottom of the pot if left completely undisturbed.
The stew should be thick enough to coat a spoon heavily; if too thin, simmer uncovered a bit longer.
Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with crusty bread.
Stir the pot periodically during the long simmer — split peas settle to the bottom and can scorch if left completely undisturbed.
Brown the beef thoroughly first; that initial crust adds most of the deep flavor the long simmer builds on.
Let the stew simmer the full time until the peas fully break down — undercooked peas leave the broth thin and grainy instead of thick and cohesive.
Add a smoked ham hock alongside the beef for extra depth, a common regional variation.
Use lamb instead of beef for a different, slightly richer flavor.
Add diced potato in the last 30 minutes of cooking for extra heartiness.
Refrigerate up to 5 days; the stew thickens further as it sits, so thin with water or stock when reheating. Freezes well up to 3 months.
This style of pea and meat stew reflects Quebec's habitant farming tradition, where dried legumes were a practical, storable way to stretch a small amount of meat into a substantial meal capable of feeding a large rural family through long winters.
Yes — brown the beef and cook the aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours.
Green split peas work fine as a substitute, though yellow peas give the more traditional color and a slightly milder flavor.
It just needs more time uncovered — the peas continue to break down and thicken the broth the longer they simmer, so keep cooking in 15-minute increments until it reaches the right consistency.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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