If you know anything about comfort food, then you know what time of year is best to make a pot of black eyed peas. In my family, we tend to get ahead of ourselves, and we always make this recipe around the holidays.

There’s no harm in having a little bowl of black eyed peas with your Christmas dinner, right? My Aunty’s recipe has been my favorite ever since I was a little girl. In fact, I finally got my husband to try some. This recipe really can work some magic!

I hope you enjoy my Aunty’s black eyed peas as much as I have.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
Water
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 smoked ham hocks
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Soak peas in 6 cups water overnight (10-12) hours. Drain peas, rinse well with cold water and then drain again. Set aside.

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, sauté onion in butter until onion is translucent and tender. Add 4 cups water, ham hocks, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and drained peas to pot. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove ham hocks and trim off ham; discarding bones, cartilage and skin. Add ham pieces back to peas and stir. Add more salt to taste then simmer peas on low for one additional hour. If you have more liquid than you’d like, simmer on medium heat, uncovered, until liquid has reduced to your liking.

I usually serve mine over white rice with some fresh diced onion sprinkled on top but you can serve them on their own as well.

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Quick Tip: You MUST start this recipe over night if you are using dry beans. Give plenty of time for soaking in water!

Recipe and image courtesy of: South Your Mouth