Black-eyed Peas With Ham Recipe
Here's a Delicious Southern Dish; Comfort Food at its Best
This Classic Soul Food Dish Can Be Prepared on the Stove, in a Slow Cooker, or Even in the Pressure Cooker! It's Perfect to Serve on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, too
No dish says “Soul Food” like black-eyed peas. While it is a tradition for some to serve black-eyed peas once a year on New Years Day for good luck, cooks throughout the South serve them frequently as a side dish to their many delicious Southern entrées. Black-eyed Peas with Ham can also be served as a main dish with Southern greens, sweet potatoes, and corn bread.
Black-eyed peas are not really peas; they are actually beans. According to the USDA (1/10/08), they are high in potassium, iron, and fiber. In fact, a one-cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas supplies 11 grams of fiber, almost half of the daily requirement. They are also extremely low in fat. Certainly the nutritional aspects of black-eyed peas should be convincing enough to serve them often.
The following recipe for black-eyed peas is easy and takes very little hands-on time. The cooking method may be adapted to the lifestyle of the cook: the peas may be simmered slowly on the stove, cooked in a slow cooker, or prepared quickly in a pressure cooker. They may also be cooked ahead and refrigerated for up to three days; simply reheat, adding additional water if necessary.
Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks
6 Servings
- 1 cup dried black-eyed peas
- 3 cups water
- 3 meaty ham hocks
- 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes, or 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- additional salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Sort the peas, removing any broken ones or rocks; rinse well and place in a large saucepan.
- Cover with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.
- Let the peas sit for at least 1 hour; drain.
- Return the peas to the pan and add the water;
- Bring the peas to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until the peas are almost tender, 1-2 hours.
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered until the beans are very soft and tender, checking periodically to make sure there is enough water.
- About 15 minutes before serving, remove the ham hocks from the mixture; remove the meat from the hocks, chop, and add back in to the peas.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary.
- Simmer for about 10 more minutes, then serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions: after sorting and rinsing the peas, place in the slow cooker and cover with water; turn to high and cook 3-4 hours or until almost tender. If the water is evaporating too fast, add more water. Add the ham hocks and remaining ingredients; cook an additional hour on high, then proceed with step 7-9. If there is too much water, tilt the lid to the side so that the excess water evaporates.
Pressure Cooker Instructions: Follow directions through step 3. Place the soaked beans in the pressure cooker, cover them with the water, then cover and lock the cooker's lid into place. Bring up to high pressure according to manufacturer's directions. When pressure is reached, lower the heat and cook for 12 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain even cooking pressure. Run cold water over the top (avoid running water over the valve) of the pressure cooker until the pressure is released. Remove the lid, return the pan to the stove, proceed as above from step 6 -9.
Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 349 - Calories from Fat 139
- Percent Total Calories From: Fat 40% Protein 35% Carb. 25%
- Total Fat 15 g
- Saturated Fat 5 g
- Cholesterol 121 mg
- Sodium 40 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 22 g
- Dietary Fiber 2 g
- Sugars 0 g
- Protein 30 g
- Vitamin A 3% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 0% Iron 13%
