Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

Southern black eyed peas are delicious and make plenty for the whole family. They are perfect for any Southern New Year’s Day celebration!

The best way to eat southern black eyed peas

My FAVORITE way to eat black eyed peas is over rice with collard greens. Typically, I cook my southern black eyed peas and my collard greens at the same time. While they are simmering, I make rice in a rice cooker. Every other technique to make rice has failed me one time too many! In a rice maker I set it an forget it! Voila! Southern black eyed peas can be served as a great side individually, but this recipe makes a lot of broth with the peas. I wouldn’t let that delicious BONE BROTH go to waste. In my opinion, these southern black eyed peas are best served over something that can absorb their juices!

Is there a difference between black eyed peas and hoppin’ johns?

Short answer, not really! Hoppin’ johns use black eyed peas and some form of pork for flavoring. The same methods are used in this recipe. The only “difference” is hoppin’ johns are served over rice, typically plain short grain white rice and black eyed peas can be served alone.

When should I eat black eyed peas?

In true Southern tradition, eat them on New Year’s Day. They are thought to bring you good luck and wealth in the new year. This works out perfectly for me, because I love doing a Christmas ham. That means I have a ham bone in the fridge for New Years Day, one week later! I love using what I have available! This means I am not going out to buy special ingredients for one recipe.

What if I don’t have a ham bone just lying around?

That is a great question! The correct answer is, go out and buy a ham specifically for this recipe, make it, and throw all the meat away to get to the bone! Just kidding! That would be insane. One option would be to ask a local butcher if they have a ham bone you could purchase. Another option is saving bones from previous meals in the freezer. This method is cost effective, and in the freezer bones last months. Alternatively, you could buy a ham hock or bacon from the store. A ham hock can be used the same way as a ham bone, but has much more fat on it. If you use bacon I recommend, slicing into small 1/2 inch pieces, cooking the bacon in a large pot, and pouring off most of the grease when finished cooking. In short, any form of pork flavoring will work!

Can I use canned black eyed peas instead of dried?

Yes, but I don’t recommend it. The canned peas are already soft and have maxed out their liquid absorption. When you use dried beans, you are controlling the liquid the peas absorb. Cooking the beans in bone broth and simmering with seasonings allows the flavors to meld cohesively. If you would like to substitute canned peas in this southern black eyed peas recipe I would recommend lowering the simmer time to 45 mins, lowering the salt added, and using 3 cans of peas. A note, dried black eyed peas are typically much cheaper than canned.

Can I make this meal vegetarian or vegan?

In short, I have no idea! I guarantee there are recipes out there, but this recipe specifically relies heavily on pork flavoring. I would not recommend simply omitting the pork, because the flavor balance will be off. If you are looking for suggestions I would check out, Oh How She Glows, she has amazing vegan recipes! I love most of her recipes even though I am, clearly, not vegan. She has a black eyed pea soup that looks good but is not traditional. Good luck!

List of Ingredients

1 lb dried black beans
1 ham bone, ham hock, or 4 strips thick cut bacon, diced
8 c bone broth or chicken stock
1-4 c filtered water
1 tsp avocado oil, olive oil, or bacon grease
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
3 heaping tsp creole seasoning
salt to taste

Directios

Night Before:

1. Sort the dried peas and remove any stones or bad peas.

2. Rinse peas, in a strainer or colander.

3. Place clean peas in a large bowl and cover with filtered water. You want the water to more than cover the peas. I recommend 2 inches above the peas.

4. Allow to soak overnight, 8-24 hours.

Day Of:

5. In a large stock pot, place the ham bone, or ham hock, and 4c bone broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 1 hour. ASIDE: If using bacon, cook diced bacon in the bottom of a large stock pot. Once cooked through, remove bacon and all but 2 tsp grease. Sauté onions and garlic in bacon grease 3-5 minutes until translucent. Then pour in 4c bone broth, add the bacon back, simmer 1 hr, and continue to step 8.

6. While the bone is simmering, add olive oil, or bacon grease, to a sauté pan over medium heat.

7. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes until translucent and soft. Set aside until step 10.

8. Strain soaked black eyed peas and add to the stock pot containing the pork.

9. Pour in the remaining 4c bone broth and add filtered water until the bone is fully submerged and peas have 2 inches “extra” liquid. You may not need to add any water depending on the size of your pot, but I typically add 1-2c.

10. To the stock pot, add black pepper, creole seasoning, and sautéed onions and garlic.

11. Bring back to a boil, then simmer on low, for 1.5-2 hours. You want the peas to be tender and soft.

12. Taste the black eyed pea liquid and adjust seasoning. Depending on your pork choice, you will either need to add more or less salt. With a bone and unsalted bone broth you will need more salt. With a ham hock or bacon you may need less salt. Always taste before you add salt, and start small.

13. Serve over rice for a traditional hoppin’ john style meal or eat as a delicious side.

14. Enjoy!