Soulful Southern black-eyed peas with smoked pork, vegetables, and Creole spices for good luck and prosperity.
# What You'll Need:
→ Legumes
01 - 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted
→ Smoked Meat
02 - 1.5 pounds smoked pork neck bones or smoked ham hocks
→ Aromatics
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
→ Liquids
07 - 7 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1.5 teaspoons Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Hot sauce for serving
# Steps:
01 - Cover black-eyed peas with water in a large bowl and soak overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly before using. For quick soak method, cover peas with boiling water, allow to sit for 1 hour, then drain.
02 - Heat splash of oil in large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in smoked pork neck bones, drained black-eyed peas, water or broth, Creole seasoning, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and pork begins to separate from bone.
06 - Remove pork neck bones from pot. Shred any remaining meat from bones and return shredded meat to pot. Discard bones and excess fat.
07 - Season with salt to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf.
08 - Ladle hot peas into serving bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with hot sauce if desired. Traditionally paired with rice or cornbread.
