Hoppin John is a Lowcountry cuisine consisting of black-eyed peas rendered in smoked pork, onions, peppers, herbs, and spices. Traditionally served over rice on New Year's Day, this big pot of love will bring you fortune throughout the entire year.
Like collard greens, Hoppin' John is a traditional Charleston side dish that's served along with/ pork loin, rich greens, and Carolina Gold rice on New Year's Day.
Hoppin' John is supposed to bring you good luck and fortune in the year ahead so go ahead and make you a big pot of black-eyed peas and say cheers to the new year!
Lowcountry Hoppin John Recipe
There are so many different ways to make Hoppin John, and of course, I’ve tried them all. My favorite way to make them is the old-fashioned way: in a Dutch oven. I’m also super proud of this Hoppin John recipe because it was my first feature in the Post and Courier, Charleston’s local newspaper!
Some people cook the rice into the pot of black-eyed peas while others just pour the black-eyed peas over the rice. I have to admit, I don't like the peas cooked into the rice because it usually turns out a soggy mess, so this Hoppin John recipe calls for you to make the rice separately.
The most important components in Hoppin John are the pork, black-eyed peas (or field peas), and rice so you're good to go as long as you have all three items in the recipe!
Onions, bell peppers, fresh thyme, bay leaves, chicken stock, leftover holiday ham, and bacon are what give this pot of gold so much flavor.
If you don't have any more leftover ham, just fry a few more slices of bacon, and you'll never know the ham was missing.
Hoppin' John
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped use 6 slices if you don't have ham
- ½ large sweet onion (about 1 cup) choppped
- 3 stalks celery (about 1 cup) chopped
- 1 cup bell peppers (about 1 cup of green, yellow, &/or red) chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic (about 3 cloves) finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (about 1 tsp) finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups leftover holiday ham or more bacon
- 4 cups frozen black-eyed peas
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups cooked Carolina Gold Rice
- 2 teaspoon fresh parsley for garnish
- chopped pickled jalapeno for some heat optional
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large dutch-oven or soup pot, over medium-high heat, until slightly crisp. About 8-10 minutes.
- Add onion, celery, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. About 7-8 minutes. Stir in ham and black-eyed peas then pour in broth.
- Add bay leaves salt and pepper, stir, and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peas are tender and the liquid has slightly reduced. Discard bay leaves. Stir in fresh parsley and chopped pickled jalapeno, if desired, and serve over Carolina Gold rice.
- Serve alongside Garlic Roasted Pork Loin and Collard Greens for a traditional Lowcountry New Year's Day feast!
Nutrition
Mia says
Hey Lady! Always good to "see" you! We just do black eyed peas for NY's luck...that's just how I was raised. And since I stopped eating pork in middle school (all the cool girls were doing it), we always do turkey necks or tails instead of the salt pork my grandmas used. I worked, but my lovely husband brought me a little Tupperware of peas on his way home from my sister's house. Here's hoping we both have all the good luck in 2019!
Amber says
Hey, girl, hey!!! So incredibly great to hear from my #1 fan!!! MMMMMmmmmmm...turkey necks would rock up in these collards! Yum! <3