Southern Style Black Eyed Peas
Southern Style Black Eyed Peas is a favorite on New Year’s Day for our family. Also a delicious side dish for ham or fried chicken. I will almost always serve these black eyed peas with my Simply Perfect Oven Rice. Rice is a natural “friend” to black eyed peas. Don’t forget to sprinkle on some sliced green onions and a dash or two of green Tabasco, or, my favorite, Yellowbird Jalapeno Condiment! YUM!
In this particular recipe, ham hocks are optional, but don’t tell my husband EJ that! However, I will always put some type of smoked ham in the peas while they cook. Either a chunk of leftover ham from the freezer or a piece I pick up at the grocery store. Even though you use bacon in this dish, the ham lends an additional smoky depth of taste.
Something to keep in mind before cooking these Southern Style Black Eyed Peas: Typically you need to soak dried peas/beans overnight to soften them before cooking. To speed up that process, I put the rinsed peas in a large pot and add water to cover the peas about 2 inches. Bring the peas to a rolling boil, then turn off and let stand about an hour. Drain well in a large colander and then begin the cooking process.
Additional, crucial tip: Do not add any salt until the very end and start out with only 1/2 teaspoon. Stir well, taste, then add more only if necessary. As my dear mother in law used to tell me, “You can always add salt but you can’t take it out!” This is good advice in general anytime you are cooking anything!
Southern Style Black Eyed Peas
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black eyed peas
- 2 ham hocks can substitute other smoked ham pieces
- 4 strips bacon
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery plus leaves chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped fine
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- kosher salt start with ½ tsp before serving, add more if needed
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce I use green Tabasco or Yellowbird Jalapeno Condiment
- 4 green onions sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare your peas. Sort and wash in a large colander. Then, either soak overnight in a large pot with water to cover, or, by doing the following: Place sorted and washed peas on large stock pot or Dutch oven and cover with water to about 2 inches above where peas are. Bring to a rolling boil and boil a few minutes, then turn pot off and let stand an hour. Then drain peas in a large colander and set aside.
- Fry bacon in bottom of a large stockpot or Dutch oven. When crispy, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside. Meanwhile, add onion, celery, garlic, and jalapeno pepper tothe bacon grease in the pot and cook over medium heat about two minutes.
- Then add peas, ham hocks (or ham pieces), bay leaf, pepper and parsley. Pour the chicken broth and water over all. Turn heat up and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Discard bay leaf. Add ½ teaspoon salt to the peas along with the hot sauce and taste for saltiness. If needed, add additional salt in ¼ teaspoon increments. Serve over rice with the crumbled bacon, additional parsley and hot sauce, and a sprinkle of green onions. Enjoy!