As many of you know, I’m a “recovering New Yorker”. One of the first really ‘alien’ things I found when I first moved to Virginia, 40-some years ago, was that if I saw friends on New Year’s Day, their first question was usually “Did you have your black-eyed peas yet?”. If I said “no”, I was usually dragged bodily into the kitchen and handed a bowl and spoon and told “It’s good luck”. (Some were pretty bad, some were delicious.)
I had to do some research to find out why. It turns out that, before the Civil War, black-eyed peas (beans) were grown, but considered a low-grade animal fodder crop in the South. Both armies involved in the conflict tended to commandeer much of the “people food”.
Animals, green vegetables, fruits, wheat, hay and field corn went to keep the armies fed. Civilians, black and white, rich and poor, were all very short of food. The bottom-line was that it was ‘survival food’, but if you had those dried beans, and maybe some smoked pork hocks to cook on New Year’s Day, you were already starting off the year lucky.
I don’t really believe that things are good or bad luck (except for the really obvious – it’s always bad luck to purposely whack yourself in the hand with a sledgehammer), but, a really tasty century+ – old tradition needs to be remembered and spread beyond its source. Here’s a modern version:
Hoppin’ John, the lazy way (not just for New Year any more…)
You Will Need:
- 1 lb dry Black-eyed Peas
- 1 “country style” smoked ham hock
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- about 2 qt chicken stock
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- boiling water
- chopped garlic
- 1/2 lb bacon, diced.
- stone-ground coarse mustard (optional)
Directions:
- Add dry beans to a crockpot, cover by about an inch with boiling water.
- Set slow cooker on “Warm” and let is sit overnight to hydrate beans. Add more water if needed.
- In morning, drain off water, re-cover beans with chicken broth, add the ham hock, quartered onion, a ‘pinch’ of garlic and cook until tender on “Low” setting.
- When beans are tender, remove ham hock, shred and return to slow cooker, saute bacon over medium heat to render fat, until ‘somewhat crispy’ (my personal choice- I don’t like it if it breaks when you bend it).
- Remove bacon and excess grease, saute diced onions, peppers and garlic until onions translucent, then add to your beans.
- Stir, add fresh thyme bundle, add a little more broth if needed, and cook on “Low” about another half hour. A little mustard doesn’t hurt, but not traditional. Add broth or water as needed, you want some good ‘bean juice’ :)
Serve by itself, over rice, or with cornbread, or both. YUMMMM.
It’s “good luck” to start the year with something delicious. It would be very cool to know that we’re all sharing a meal, even though we’re all geographically separated.
About the only thing I (wifey) add is fried potatoes and a pan of cornbread!
Going out shopping. Aldi’s has black eyed peas on sale. Probably would not have given it a second thought before. Sounds like winter comfort food to start the new year.
Definitely comfort food, even if you didn’t grow up with it :)
I seem to have left out something important “chop up the cooked bacon and add it to the beans” :)
Can’t stress enough, add enough liquid and don’t let it dry out at all, if you want to stay traditional (and yummy).
I have several friends who do not drink any alcohol at all, but own (usually-inherited) shot-glasses, just for sampling the bean juice. :)
If you have leftovers, consider adding a little brown sugar, blackstrap molasses, more onion, more mustard and tomato paste, and bake, covered, for another hour. You may never go back “them Yankee baked beans” :)
Great recipe, TY for sharing…Will have to serve this along side the pork roast and sauerkraut that is our New Year’s tradition for good luck!
You left a couple of things out.
Pork is eaten for good health in the New Year and Greens are eaten for money and prosperity.
Happy 2014
@Indigenous Southerner:
You’re absolutely right. I was doing 1 at a time :)
My favorite mix is 1 bunch collards, shredded up fine, sauteed in oil and braised in chicken stock. After about a half hr, saute a couple bunches of sliced up Swiss Chard and add to the mix with some garlic. After about 15 min, add a bunch of caramelized onions. Serve with vinegar hot sauce (put peeled garlic cloves, all the fresh herbs you can find, and hot peppers into cider vinegar, store in a cool, dark place 3-4 months).
Shot-glasses for the “pot liquor” are optional :)
Crock pot black eyed peas are served every New Years day in my memory bank. We add diced tomatoes and a chopped jalapeno to ours. And must scoop over corn bread.
Wishing everyone here a happy and prosperous New Year, and hope y’all are starting your Black-Eyed Peas :)
Thanks Wyzyrd! Take care – Rourke