Add the onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to a medium size sauce pot.
Next, each pork tenderloin in half and season well on all sides with salt and pepper, and add it to the pot with the vegetables and herbs.
Add in oil and make sure the pork is submerged.
Cook in the oven for 4 hours.
Remove from the oven and add each pork tenderloin to a large frying pan over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Shred the pork using 2 forks. Note: Strain the confit fat and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month for other confit recipes.
Soup: With about 2 hours left in the cooking process of the pork confit, add the butter to a large pot over medium heat along with the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, and sweat for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly rendered.
Add in the peas, split peas, and chicken stock and simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes or until the peas have broken down and the soup is thick.
With about 20 minutes left in the cooking process, add the potatoes to the soup and cook until tender.
Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper and add the shredded pork. Note: I only used half of the amount of shredded pork confit but you can absolutely use it all. It is delicious to eat by itself or serve as its own meal.
Pour some into a bowl and add on optional crème Fraiche garnish and serve.
Notes
I only used half of the pork in the soup but you can absolutely use all of it in there. How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until the soup is hot. In addition, you can heat it in a microwave-safe bowl until hot.How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.How to Freeze: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.Make-Ahead: Make this soup and chill it for up to 2 days before serving it. Reheat and adjust seasonings before serving.If you want the soup to be runnier, you can blend it in a blender until it is smooth. Do this before adding in the pork.The confit fat, when done being used, is seasoned and delicious. Be sure to drain it of the vegetables and herbs and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 month before using them again to confit other meats such as beef or chicken.