How To Make Pease Porridge

This pease porridge recipe hails from the late 17th century, in the household manuscript of Jane Dawson. The 1600s in England saw the pease porridge, or pease pudding, as a humble but nourishing staple, often enjoyed by both gentry and common folk alike. Hearty pease-based pottages were a cornerstone of the rural English diet, stretching meat by combining it with legumes and fresh greens—much in keeping with early modern culinary values of thrift and seasonal produce. Jane Dawson's recipe reflects the period's penchant for layering savory flavors (beef, bacon, and anchovy) with the bright tang of sorrel and mint, humming with butter’s richness. The addition of a fine French roll also hints at the growing refinement of English dining at the close of the 17th century.

In Jane Dawson’s kitchen, this dish would have been cooked in a large cast-iron cauldron or pot hung over an open hearth fire. A long-handled wooden spoon stirred the bubbling broth. The straining was done using a fine cloth or a metal sieve—known then as a 'five' or colander. Bundles of herbs were tied up with twine for easy removal. Sharp knives sliced the cooling bacon, while bread was sliced thick for serving. Large serving dishes of earthenware or pewter completed the meal’s presentation.