Black-Eyed Peas are a Southern tradition you won't want to pass up. Cooked low and slow with smoky pork, a few simple spices and this delicious country fare will be bringing you good luck and tantalize your taste buds all year round.
These southern style beans are notoriously eaten on New Year's Day in the south. They are said to bring us good luck. But we enjoy these beans all throughout the year! Although, I will be the first to say it isn't New Years day without these delicious beans. I am always amazed by the simplest of dishes that really pack a punch on the palate, why in a deliciously good way of course!
Smoky pork, a little garlic, salt, pepper, chicken stock and black-eyed peas make up this comfort dish. My husbands favorite fare! He loves me to make Southern Fried Pork Chops, white rice, and tomato gravy to go along with this meal! And ya can't forget the cornbread! To him this is all heaven on a plate.
These little beans are really hard to find fresh this time of the year. When they are in season, I like to get them and freeze them. We have a local produce company that I can buy in 8 pound bags already shelled, cleaned, and frozen nice and fresh! This is my favorite way to get them. If you cannot find fresh or frozen, dried varieties are readily available in the store as well. They are scrumptious any way you get them!
HOW to PREPARE DRIED BLACK-EYED PEAS
Make sure you wash well and pick out any bad peas before you get started.
Overnight Soak Method for Black-Eyed Peas
If you are using dried beans you will want to rinse them well and put in a pot or bowl and cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse peas to cook.
Quick Soak Method for Dried Black-Eyed Peas
If you don't have time to soak overnight or you forget to do this like I do sometimes. You can place in a pot and cover with water about 2 inches over the peas, boil over high heat for 2 minutes. Once done boiling, turn off heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and cook.
Black-Eyed Peas are a Southern tradition cooked low and slow with smoky pork, a few simple spices and this delicious country fare will be bringing you good luck and tantalize your taste buds all year round.
2poundsFresh or Frozen Black-Eyed Peas, Or 1 pound dried peas
4slicesbacon, cut in pieces
1Ham Bone with Meat, Ham Hock or Shank
¼cupyellow onion, diced
½teaspoongarlic, minced
1 ½teaspoonsalt, or to taste
¼teaspoonblack pepper
32ounceschicken stock or broth or more as needed to cover beans or add to beans
Instructions
Pre Soak beans if using dry beans.
In a large Dutch oven, saute bacon for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in onion and saute until translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
Add in ham bone, black-eyed peas, salt, pepper, and chicken stock to cover peas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours or until tender and flavorful stirring occasionally.Add water or more chicken stock as needed if peas cook out to much liquid).
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
I’m an experienced grocery clerk (30 years on the night crew) that knows to order extra black eyed peas (and cut okra and gumbo filé) for the new year... but at the same time I’m completely out of the loop on the tradition. (We learn to order extras of whatever products are demanded by customers for various holidays, even when we don’t get the reasons why.)
This year, I decided to try a few recipes. Your black-eyed peas recipe was delicious. I added Pickapeppa sauce as a hot spice.
I still don’t get the tradition, but I do like the result. It’s a great compliment for a grilled meat.
I am with you, tradition or not you can't beat some good peas! I have learned over the years to get them ordered. I over ordered this year, but we will enjoy them all year. They are put up in the freezer for later use. We often grill ribs to go with our peas. They are also delicious with fried pork chops with rice and tomato gravy!
Speaking of okra and Gumbo - Now you have me wanting some (I love okra anyway you cook it)! I guess it getting fairly close to that time of year (Fat Tuesday - another tradition lol)!
Geoffrey Hamilton says
I’m an experienced grocery clerk (30 years on the night crew) that knows to order extra black eyed peas (and cut okra and gumbo filé) for the new year... but at the same time I’m completely out of the loop on the tradition. (We learn to order extras of whatever products are demanded by customers for various holidays, even when we don’t get the reasons why.)
This year, I decided to try a few recipes. Your black-eyed peas recipe was delicious. I added Pickapeppa sauce as a hot spice.
I still don’t get the tradition, but I do like the result. It’s a great compliment for a grilled meat.
Nikki - Soulfully Made says
I am with you, tradition or not you can't beat some good peas! I have learned over the years to get them ordered. I over ordered this year, but we will enjoy them all year. They are put up in the freezer for later use. We often grill ribs to go with our peas. They are also delicious with fried pork chops with rice and tomato gravy!
Speaking of okra and Gumbo - Now you have me wanting some (I love okra anyway you cook it)! I guess it getting fairly close to that time of year (Fat Tuesday - another tradition lol)!
Julia says
I know a delicious batch of peas and this is it! Delicious.
Nikki - Soulfully Made says
Thank you! Coming from amazing cook that means the world to me! <3
BETTY SPENCER says
LOVE LOVE YOUR RECIPES
Nikki - Soulfully Made says
Thank you Betty! I really appreciate that so much!