New Year's Day Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Submitted by GKO755
Black-eyed pea soup slow-simmered with a ham bone for New Year’s Day good luck. Creamy, smoky, and served over white rice in the Southern tradition.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
24 hrsDown South, eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is how you start the year right. This slow-simmered soup takes dried peas, a meaty ham bone, and a good long afternoon on the back of the stove to turn into something rich, smoky, and deeply satisfying.
The overnight soak gets the peas ready for their slow simmer. Four hours sounds like a lot, but that’s what it takes for the ham bone to give up all its flavor and the peas to turn silky. Mashing a cup of the cooked peas and stirring them back in thickens the broth naturally, no flour or cream needed.
Serve it steaming over fresh white rice. The rice soaks up that smoky, peppery broth like a sponge.
Chef Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight soak. It cuts cooking time and helps the peas cook evenly so you don’t end up with half-crunchy beans.
- Start early in the day. These peas want a good 4 hours at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Low and slow is the way.
- Check the water level every hour or so and add more if the pot gets dry. The peas absorb a lot.
- Wait until the end to taste for salt. The ham bone adds quite a bit of saltiness as it simmers.
Variations
- Add a smoked turkey leg instead of ham bone for a different kind of smokiness.
- Stir in chopped collard greens during the last 30 minutes for a full Southern New Year’s spread in one pot.
- Finish each bowl with a splash of hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the beans well in cold water several times, then place in a large, heavy stew pot and cover with water.
Allow to soak overnight.
The next morning (start early-beans like to take their time), pour off the soaking water, and ham bone, 8 cups of water, onion and seasonings.
Put on the back of the stove and let simmer gently until beans are very tender, usually about 4 hours.
Add more water if needed.
Remove and discard ham bone.
If the water looks a bit scant pour in 1 to 2 cups more.
When beans are good and tender remove about a cup full of the beans and mash well with some of the bean liquid.
This can be done in a blender, of course.
Return mashed beans to pot, taste for seasoning, and serve steaming hot over freshly cooked white rice.
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