Southern Black-Eyed Peas & Pan Fried Cabbage

Black Eyed Peas are true southern comfort food! These peas are loaded with diced ham, onions, stewed tomatoes, spices and chicken broth, and slow cooked to perfection with a ham bone. These peas are the most delicious start to a new year! 
In the South, black-eyed peas have long been thought to bring forth good luck if eaten on New Year's. No one knows for certain where the tradition came from, though it's thought to date back to the Civil War.

Having Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's is a Southern Tradition, Whether it's true or not, traditions are traditions and who wants to tempt fate. Eating Black Eyed Peas is considered good luck and greens or cabbage represent money and prosperity. So every New Years my family sticks to tradition and enjoys black eyed peas, cabbage and cornbread. 

My husband will eat the black eyed peas, but wont touch the cabbage. I love them both so I look forward to New Years Day, because this is one day that I never ever have to fight over food LOL. So, bring on the good luck and eat some black eye peas, don't forget the southern fried cabbage and skillet of cornbread. I hope everyone has Happy and Healthy New Year! 

I cook this pea recipe in the slow cooker, but they can also be prepared on the stove. Both cooking variations are included at the end of this post. Soak your beans to decrease the cooking time. Cover the peas with water and make sure there is enough water so the peas don't dry up. 

Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of salt per 2 quarts of water (this helps reduce and eliminate the gas). Stir the water before adding the peas. Soak the peas for at least 8 hours or overnight. In the morning drain and discard the water and rinse very well. Place the soaked black-eyed peas into a 6- 8 quart size slow cooker.  

Add the water broth, oil, garlic powder and pepper, onions, and pureed tomatoes (I pureed the tomatoes in the blender) before adding to the slow cooker. Add the ham hock or ham bone and cubed ham. Cover and cook on high for about 5 hours, turn to low and cook for an additional 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until peas are tender.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a wedge of cornbread and pan fried cabbage. 


Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen
Southern Black Eyed Peas

Southern Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas are true southern comfort food! These peas are loaded with diced ham, onions, stewed tomatoes, spices and chicken broth, and slow cooked to perfection with a ham bone. These peas are the most delicious start to a new year!
Cook time: 3 HourInactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 11 Hour

Ingredients

  • 1 - (16 oz) package dry black-eyed peas
  • enough water to cover peas for soaking
  • 2-3 tablespoons salt (for soaking peas)
  • 2 - cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 - cups water (for cooking beans)
  • 1 - tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 - ham hock or ham bone
  • 2 - cups cubed cooked ham
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 - pinch garlic powder
  • 1/2 - 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 - (14.5 ounce) can whole or stewed tomatoes (pureed)
  • garnish with chopped onions, hot sauce, pepper vinegar or chow chow

Instructions

  1. Sort through the black eyed peas and remove any bad peas or pebbles. Cover the peas with water (about 2 inches above the peas) you want to make sure there is enough water so the peas to not dry up.
  2. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of salt per 2 quarts of water (this helps reduce and eliminate the gas). Stir the water before adding the peas. Soak the peas for at least 8 hours or overnight. In the morning drain and discard the water and rinse the peas very well.
  3. Place peas in large dutch oven or soup pot. Add the broth, 2 cups water, ham hock or ham bone, ham, onions, pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor, and blend until the tomatoes are liquefied. Add tomatoes to pot and then add the oil. Bring all ingredients to boil. Cover the pot, and simmer on low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the peas are tender.
  5. Remove the ham hock or ham bone and any meat of the bone and add to the peas. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes:

Slow Cooker Version:

You can also prepare the peas in your slow cooker. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of salt per 2 quarts of water (this helps reduce and eliminate the gas). Stir the water before adding the peas. Make sure you add enough water to cover the peas. Soak the peas for at least 8 hours or overnight. In the morning drain and discard the water and rinse the peas very well.  

Add the peas to a 6-8 quart slow cooker. Add the water, broth, onions, garlic powder, pepper, tomatoes, oil, ham hock or ham bone and ham. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours then turn the slow cooker to low and cook for an additional 1 - 2 hours or until the peas are tender. Remove ham hock or ham bone and pull any meat from the bone bone and add to the peas. Ladle into bowls and serve. 

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Don't forget about the cabbage. Click here to view my recipe for Pan Fried Cabbage


If you're looking for a good cornbread recipe try my mother in laws Mexican Cornbread.

This delicious Pepper-Jack Cornbread is also a nice addition.



28 comments

Debbie said…
I've never had black-eyed peas, bu they sure look good.
You always make me want to come to dinner at your house.
Joan said…
Hi Tina! Thanks so much for the reply to my email. I think I got it on my page right although I am not through with it. That plate on this post looks DELICIOUS! What a true true true southern meal. That is what its all about!
Happy New Year to you!
Joan
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Nonnas News said…
Both of those sound good, Im gonna print those out for next year. Thanks for sharing!
Amber said…
Happy New Year from Oklahoma! We had a big dinner with black eyed peas yesterday, but no cabbage. My grandma always says we should eat the peas for prosperity, but she's never mentioned cabbage..hmm..oh well,the peas were yum-o anyway!
Emily said…
Oh yes, I'm very much a southern girl and enjoyed this meal yesterday!!! We always leave 1 pea for luck! If only we had some hot-water corn bread! Yum..!!! =]
Joie de vivre said…
May 2009 bring you lots of luck!
Sandy said…
Looks very tasty!
Tina, HAPPY NEW YEAR! My mother always ate black eyed peas on New Year's Eve. I didn't know about the fried cabbage though. Cool.

Have an excellent 2009 my friend.
Anonymous said…
This casserole reminds me on this my mother always did. But I can't remember that she put black peas in it!?
Lynn said…
After we tweeted about BE peas yesterday I knew I wanted to try these. So, these are going on the menu plan in the next week or two. Question though, do you think bacon or sausage would also work or is the ham the best choice?
Tina Butler said…
Hi Lynn, The ham is probably the best choice. Especially if you have any ham leftover from Christmas. We had turkey so i did not have ham. I bough a package at superwalmart of ham shanks it had 6 meaty ones in the package. I used three and am saving three for pinto beans. I got a lot of meat off of them. I have never used sausage just ham or smoked ham hocks. The ham gives the beans a great flavor. Hubby told me he loves them so much we need to make them more often. When i bought the northern beans today I bought more BE peas. I hope this answers your? I dont think the bacon would give enough flavor. I throw the ham shanks in at the begining for optimal flavor.
Anonymous said…
black eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's day for luck and money always help :) thnak you for teh recipie though my family does not eat eitehr I still cook it hoping both will continue or improve :)
Tina Butler said…
That isn't collard greens it's cabbage. My family won't eat collards but they are getting better with cabbage.
Tried this recipe today and loved it!! It will be a new tradition for us to eat this every New Years! Thanks for posting!
Anonymous said…
I seen this post and decided to make it at my job for my individuals i aid in their home, its still cooking but my lordy it smells so good and i taste tested the broth and it already tastes so yummy nothing like how my mother taught me thank you for the bost!
Bruce Sweatt said…
And don't forget the cornbread
Anonymous said…
Made it for the first time! Delish and easy! A Happy, Hea
lthy and Prosperous New Year to all!
coleen said…
I'm not s southern girl but we always have black eyed peas on New Years day. For some reason I forgot all about it. Well it is 3:30 am so I guess I will buy some canned ones. I do have cabbage. Never tried fried cabbage before. I will try it. Sounds good.
Anonymous said…
I love all your recipes so Thank you so much for sharing The only thing that is wrong with the peas and cabbage is I can't have the onion and oh I miss it so much! Just have to use the powder or granules. But it better than nothing!
Thank you again for your Recipes
Bonnie
Unknown said…
I am making this now for my family it smells amazing. The black eyed peas, cabbage, cornbread we can't wait to see how it tastes. .
Unknown said…
Could you make these without the tomatoes? My hubby isn't a big fan of big chunks of them. If so what could I use to still have that flavor but without chunks of tomatoes.
Margaret said…
Have you ever made the fresh black eyed peas or other fresh peas like cream peas or purple hull in a crock pot? Would it be same times as with the soaked dried?
Tina Butler said…
I prepare my cream peas and purple hull peas different from black eyed peas. I do prepare the cream peas and purple hull peas the same way. Here is how I make them. http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2010/05/farmers-market-find-southern-cream-peas.html
Dr C said…
I had always been looking for new black-eyed peas and cabbage recipes to make for New Years Day. I made this recipe for 201 7 and it came out just great! I am revisiting this site this year to make it again. It will be my favorite go-to from now on. Thank you for this authentic recipe!
Anonymous said…
Hi folks, this is Albert and I live in So. Alabama. Just wanted to say this recipe is not just for New Years it's mighty good anytime between December and January. Add a pan of corn bread and a big slice of onion Man heaven's bounty.

Yasmin Gray said…
My husband is used to eating black eyed peas and cabbage every year so when I was asked to make it this year never having cooked either before I was nervous about it. Due to COVID we couldn't go over to his moms or grandmas who usually make both dishes each year religiously. Anyway, I made them today and my husband said it was the best he'd ever had! Phew. Also, I whipped both dishes up in about 30 min. I cheated a little and used canned beans. I added all the ingredients in a pot on the stovetop. I did omit the salt, sugar, and water for both recipes since I was using left over honey baked ham from Christmas dinner. I also used this ham for the cabbage instead of bacon. Also, I used beef broth for both recipes rather than the chicken broth listed for the peas recipe. One last thing, I had no canned tomatoes but I did have a jar of chunky salsa so I used about a 1/4 cup of that instead. My kids and I liked the recipe too, and I've never been a big fan of black eyes peas. These recipes were easy to follow and delicious!