Soul Food Black Eyed Peas

Course: Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Soul Food

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 20

Soaking Time: 8

Total Time: 9 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 471kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Smoky slow cooked black eyed peas cooked the old school way

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 large bowl for soaking the beans
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 stock pot 4 quarts or larger
1 kitchen spoon
2 forks or a knife and fork

Ingredients

1 pound dried black eyed peas
water
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
½ onion
6 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 pound smoked turkey drum, tails, wings, neck, etc.
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Rinse the beans and sort out any leaves or other impurities. Cover with one to two inches of water and soak overnight.
1 pound dried black eyed peas, water
Add olive oil to a stock pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, dice onion and press or mince garlic.
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ onion, 6 cloves garlic
Add onion, paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper to heated olive oil and cook until fragrant and onions are slightly translucent (about 8-10 minutes) then add in garlic and cook for one more minute.
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper
Drain soaked beans then add to pot with smoked turkey, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Bring liquid to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about one hour or until beans are tender. Remove from heat.
1 pound smoked turkey, 6 cups chicken stock, 1 bay leaf
Discard bay leaf and remove turkey from pot. Shred turkey meat from the bone then stir it back into the beans. Serve hot.

Notes

Preparation

Note that soaking black eyed peas before cooking is not required but it significantly shortens the cooking time, so I highly recommend it.

You can make black eyed peas with smoked turkey up to three days ahead of time if stored properly in the refrigerator.

Variations

You can make vegan black eyed peas by using veggie broth and leaving out the smoked turkey. And you can a bit of liquid smoke for replace that smoky flavor.

Storage

Store black eyed peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Note that the collagen in the turkey will cause the liquid to congeal and thicken a bit when chilled but it liquefies again once heated.

To freeze cooked black eyed peas, cool them to room temperature then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to six months.

Nutrition