Southern Black Eyed Peas

Southern black eyed peas are a staple at any New Year’s Dinner in the south. But they are great anytime of the year and can be paired with many different meats. Not to be confused with english peas, black eyed peas are a completely different type of pea. Well technically they are a legume, or bean, but are called a pea, also known as a cowpea.

Black eyed peas are my absolute favorite pea to eat. They have a very unique savory flavor, and when cooked right, they have the most delicious pot liquor.

Now, pot liquor is the delicious liquid produced by cooking the peas. It takes on all of the flavor of the peas and the seasonings that you put into it. When the peas are allowed to simmer for a bit the liquid thickens slightly, this is when the flavor really develops.

There is no better way to enjoy that delicious pot liquor than with a piece of buttered cornbread to soak up all those lovely juices. I have linked my Buttermilk Cornbread recipe below.

Cooking a delicious pot of black eyed peas is super simple and doesn’t require a lot of skill. This recipe is straight forward and is great for the beginner cook.

When making black eyed peas there are two very important ingredients that should always be in the peas, bacon and onions. Rendered bacon and sautéed onions bring a lot of delicious flavor to these peas and should not be left out.

It is important that the bacon is rendered first, and the onions sautéed, this develops loads of flavor that you definitely want in your pot of black-eyed peas. The brown bits let on the bottom of the pan (fond) after sautéing the bacon and onions are full of flavor. Plus, is there a better smell than bacon and onions sautéing together?

Lastly, the seasonings. I prefer to keep it simple. Salt, pepper and a little cayenne or chipotle powder. That’s it. The peas really do have great flavor on their own and do not need any additional seasonings to shine.

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Southern Black Eyed Peas

A southern staple, black eyes peas are a delicious side dish that is super simple to make from scratch.  Made with bacon and onions, this recipe goes perfectly with a big slice of buttermilk cornbread.

Author: Sky Pilgreen Cooking Method: Sautéing, Simmering Categories: Dinner, Lunch Recipe Keys: P peas

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Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 3 hrs Total Time 3 hrs 10 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 4

Ingredients

Servings

• 1 ¹⁄₂ cup dry black eyed peas
• ¹⁄₂ Cup onions (small diced)
• 4 Slices thick cut bacon (small diced)
• 7 cup water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 Pinch chipotle powder (or cayenne powder)

Instructions

1. Rinse and sort through the peas.  Remove and discard any bad peas, rocks or clumps of dirt.

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2. In a large pot over medium heat start sautéing the bacon and onions.  Do not cook the bacon until it is crispy.  You are looking for the bacon to have rendered off some of its fat and the onions to be softened.  Only sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure nothing burns.

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3. Add in the water, peas and seasonings.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 hours, or until the peas are done and the liquid has thickened slightly.  Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

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4. Add more liquid if needed to ensure the peas do not go dry and burn.  Adjust the seasonings if needed.  Enjoy!

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