Southern Black Eyed Peas with Ham - Flavor Bomb!
Enjoy tender black eyed peas simmered with smoky ham hock and savory bacon for a comforting Southern classic.
Ingredients
- 1 pound black eyed peas (dry)
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 6 cups water (or low sodium chicken broth)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 ribs celery (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
Instructions
- Rinse black eyed peas and remove any debris. Place in a bowl/pot and soak 8 hours or overnight.
- In a large pot, combine ham hock, chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 60-80 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Cook onion, celery and garlic in bacon grease until slightly tender.
- Add onion mixture, black eyed peas and green bell pepper to the pot and simmer an additional 45-65 minutes or until black eyed peas are tender skimming off any foam.
- Remove ham hock and cut off any meat from the bone. Add meat back to the pot with canned tomatoes (undrained), salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered an additional 20 minutes or until black eyed peas reach desired consistency.
- Discard bay leaf, stir in bacon and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve over rice with greens.
Notes
- For the most authentic flavor, allow your black eyed peas to soak overnight; this also helps reduce cooking time and improves texture.
- Ensure the ham hock simmers long enough to become fork-tender. This is crucial for both flavor extraction and easily shredding the meat back into the stew. If the ham hock meat is not easily falling off the bone, continue simmering until it is.
- When adding the meat back, check the internal temperature of any reheated ham to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) to ensure food safety. - Leftover black eyed peas store wonderfully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to maintain consistency. Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated automatically. Values vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes.
- Ensure the ham hock simmers long enough to become fork-tender. This is crucial for both flavor extraction and easily shredding the meat back into the stew. If the ham hock meat is not easily falling off the bone, continue simmering until it is.
- When adding the meat back, check the internal temperature of any reheated ham to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) to ensure food safety. - Leftover black eyed peas store wonderfully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to maintain consistency. Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated automatically. Values vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes.