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Loading...A beloved Jamaican holiday classic, this thick and smoky soup blends buttery gungo (pigeon) peas with tender salted pig's tail, beef, yellow yam, pumpkin, and hand-rolled flour dumplings. Slow-simmered with thyme, scallion, and a whole scotch bonnet, it's a deeply comforting bowl packed with rich Caribbean flavor.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time90 mins
Total Time110 mins
Servings6
Yield6 hearty servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 8 gSaturated Fat
- 38 gCarbs
- 9 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 30 gProtein
- 860 mgSodium
- 960 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 5 mgIron
- 24 mgVitamin C
- 280 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 cups dried gungo peas (pigeon peas), soaked overnight and drained
- 1 lb salted pig's tail, soaked 2 hours and rinsed
- 1 lb stewing beef (chuck), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small yellow yam (about 1/2 lb), peeled and cubed
- 2 cups calabaza or Caribbean pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, left whole and pierced once
- 2 tsp whole pimiento (allspice) berries, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 8 cups water
For the spinners (dumplings)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Directions
- Place the soaked and rinsed pig's tail in a large pot, cover with 4 cups water, and parboil for 20 minutes; drain and rinse to remove excess salt.
- Return the pot to medium-high heat with 8 cups fresh water. Add the pig's tail, beef, gungo peas, onion, scallions, garlic, thyme, allspice, and scotch bonnet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, skimming any foam. Cover and cook for 60 minutes until the peas are tender and the meat begins to fall off the bone.
- Remove the scotch bonnet and any bones from the pot. Stir in the yam and pumpkin and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until both are fork-tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- While the vegetables cook, make the spinners: stir flour, salt, and baking powder together, then mix in the water and oil to form a soft dough. Pinch off marble-sized pieces and roll between your palms into small elongated shapes.
- Drop the spinners into the soup and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until they float and are cooked through. Taste and adjust salt (the pig's tail usually seasons the broth).
- Ladle the soup into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets peas, meat, yam, pumpkin, and a few spinners. Serve hot with buttered hard-dough bread or bammy on the side.
Cook’s Notes
- Always soak dried gungo peas overnight and discard the soaking water; for a shortcut, substitute two 15-oz cans of pigeon peas and reduce the initial simmer by 45 minutes.
- Parboiling the salted pig's tail separately is essential to draw out the heavy brine so the finished soup is savory rather than overly salty.
- Leave the scotch bonnet whole and pierced, never chopped, so it perfumes the broth with gentle heat without making the soup fiery.
- For a slightly creamier, richer pot, stir in 1/2 cup canned coconut milk during the last 10 minutes of simmering.
- Spinners are traditional but optional; substitute small pieces of homemade or store-bought dumpling dough, or skip them for a lower-carb bowl.
