Black-eyed Peas slowly simmered in a rich stock with Andouille Sausage and South Louisiana seasonings, is a traditional Creole dish dating back to Colonial times. This simple dish has become a New Year tradition, but the secret is out...Black-eyed Peas will bring you warmth and goodness any time of the year.
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What Are Black-Eyed Peas?
Black-eyed peas, also called cowpeas, have deep roots in Southern cuisine, likely finding their way to the American South through the transatlantic slave trade during Colonial times. Over the decades, these protein-rich legumes have become a beloved staple, especially on New Year's Day in South Louisiana and across the South. For those seeking to stack the deck for good luck and prosperity in the coming year, black-eyed peas are a must on New Year’s Day. Beyond their symbolic meaning, this hearty comfort food pairs perfectly with classic South Louisiana dishes like smothered cabbage, turnip greens, and baked ham.
Here’s What You Need
A complete list of ingredients with quantities is available on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this article.
Ingredient Notes
- Black-eyed peas: This recipe was developed using dry black-eyed peas, but you can substitute canned beans, which should be rinsed before using. Cooking time can be reduced significantly with canned peas.
- Bacon: Use smoked bacon or substitute rendered bacon fat. Vegetable oil is a less flavorful substitute.
- Andouille sausage: This is a highly-seasoned smoked pork sausage popular in South Louisiana. Any smoked sausage can be substituted, but the flavor profile will change.
- Garlic: I developed this recipe using both whole and chopped fresh garlic. If necessary, substitute granulated or powdered garlic (about ¼ teaspoon of granulated for each fresh clove).
- Creole seasoning: This recipe was developed using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, a no-sa;lt, no-msg all-purpose Creole or Cajun seasoning. If you substitute with a seasoning that contains salt, make sure to taste the peas before adding more salt.
- Kosher Salt: Don’t add the salt until the end of the cooking, after you have tasted the peas. Other sources of salt in this recipe are bacon, sausage, and stock. You may find low-salt versions of each.
- Chicken stock: You can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock or use chicken bouillon cubes according to the directions to make 8 cups. Water is a less flavorful substitute.
Cookware
Besides the usual prep tools, this recipe can be made in a heavy-bottomed 8-quart stockpot or this enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.
Hints and Tips (FAQs)
Hold off on adding any salt until the peas are cooked, then taste and add salt as needed. There is some thought that adding the salt too early in the process will break down the peas (or beans) outer coat. This has been mostly dissuaded, but my reason for holding off on the salt is taste-related. Many commercial creole seasonings, as well as commercial stocks, have a high salt content. Together with the smoked sausage or other meats you may use, the result can be salty without adding any extra. Let it cook a good while, then test it and add the amount of salt you like.Â
Black-eyed peas were brought to the West Indies from West Africa by slaves around 1674. It’s easy to see how they made their way to Louisiana and the rest of the South. Black-eyed peas were looked upon as inferior and thus ignored by the Northern Army during the Civil War. As one of the only remaining crops, Black-eyed peas became an important part of the Southern diet during and after the Civil War.
Black-eyed Peas became a New Year’s tradition, said to bring wealth as the little peas symbolized coins. Greens such as cabbage symbolize paper money. Serve those two along with pork, like ham which represents prosperity, and you have a pretty good formula for the coming year!
Black-eyed peas are low in fat and calories and offer substantial health benefits. Check out 5 Amazing Reasons Why Your Body Needs More Black Eyed Peas from our friends at Blackdoctors.org.
Here's What You Do
First, you have a beer. Do you want an enjoyable, no-angst cooking experience? All you need to do is prepare yourself and the ingredients before you start to cook. Grab a beer and read the entire recipe to learn what ingredients you need and what you will do with each. Once you have done that, perform your mise en place, preparing each ingredient before you even turn on the stove. Now that most of the work is done, assembling the recipe will be seamless and satisfying.
Mise en place
- Rinse the dry peas. Sort through them, and remove any imperfect peas or rocks.
- Do a quick soak by adding the dry peas to rapidly boiling water for 3 minutes, then allow the peas to soak for at least an hour covered on the stove.
- Alternatively, you can soak the beans overnight in cold water.
- Slice the sausage into medallions or half moons, depending on its size.
- Chop the bacon in 1" to 2" pieces.
- Roughly chop the yellow onions and bell peppers.
- Peel and roughly chop 4 garlic cloves and leave 2 cloves peeled and whole.
- Measure the Herb and Spice Blend and place it in a small prep bowl.
- Measure the chicken stock.
Lagniappe Tip: For a deep dive on soaking beans and peas, check out my article, Do You Soak Your Beans Before Cooking?.
Render the Fat from the Bacon
What happens in this step? Rendered fat is a major flavor driver for this recipe. We start by slowly rendering the bacon and searing the sausage for a fantastic flavor foundation.
- Fry the bacon in the stockpot to render the fat.
- Once rendered, add the sliced andouille to the stockpot and fry it until browned about 5 minutes.
Lagniappe Tip: Using bacon grease to fry off the sliced andouille sausage gives a tremendous double-barrel flavor.
Use the Rendered Fat to Flavor the Other Ingredients
What happens in this step? The vegetables and peas will be sauteed in the rendered fat before simmering in stock.
- Once the sausage is browned, add the yellow onions and bell peppers until they soften and start to brown; about 8 minutes.
- Next, go the aromatics...add the green onions and chopped garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until you start to smell the garlic.
- Add the Herb and Spice Blend (except the bay leaves and salt). If things are sticking to the bottom, deglaze with a little chicken stock and stir all that goodness into the veggies.
- If you’ve soaked, discard the soaking water. Add the Black-eyed Peas and mix them into the pot. Stir this around well to coat all the peas and let them saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the Stock and Simmer the Peas
What happens in this step? The black-eyed peas will simmer in a rich stock, softening and absorbing all the flavors.
- Pour in the chicken stock and increase the heat until it boils. Add in the Bay Leaves and the whole (smashed) garlic cloves and keep it at a full boil for about 5 minutes.
- Lower the heat to a simmer, stir occasionally until it begins to thicken and the peas are soft which should be about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours.
- Cover the stock pot so the black-eyed peas don't thicken too quickly. The peas are ready when they have softened and the gravy is creamy and reduced. If the gravy has gotten too thick and the peas are not cooked fully, thin it with more stock. If the gravy is too thin, simmer with the lid off to thicken. Taste the peas to see if they need more spices and add kosher salt to taste.
Lagniappe Tip: Remove and discard any foam that may gather on top of the simmering peas.
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Serving Suggestions
Black-eyed Peas are ready when soft, but not mushy and the gravy is creamy and somewhat thick. Remove the bay leaves and serve over cooked rice. While any type of rice will work, Black-eyed Peas are traditionally served over white rice in South Louisiana.
Serve black-eyed peas alongside smothered cabbage, turnip greens, and baked ham for a traditional New Year's Day feast for good, luck, good health, and prosperity. Of course, you don't have to wait until New Year's, Black-eyed Peas make a great side dish any time of the year.
Sweet Daddy D's Black-eyed Peas would be delicious next to these great dishes:
Here are some other delightful South Louisiana legumes:
Leftover Tips
This recipe for Black-eyed Peas will get even more tasty in the fridge overnight. Allow the black-eyed peas to cool to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. They also freeze well. Place the cooled-down black-eyed peas in a freezer bag and lay them flat in the freezer so they freeze in a thin, shallow shape. This will make it easy to defrost quickly. When you are ready to serve the leftover black-eyes, simply soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes. If you need to defrost them longer than that, make sure to refresh the cold water.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave oven.
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Publisher's Note:
Recipe
Black-eyed Peas
Here's What You Need
- 1 pound dry blackeyed peas See Notes about soaking
- 3 slices smoked bacon or 3 tablespoons bacon grease
- 1 pound andouille sausage sliced in medallions or half moons
- 1 ½ cups yellow onion chopped
- 1 small bell pepper chopped
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 8 cups Chicken Stock
- 2 cloves garlic whole (smashed)
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic rough chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Herb and Spice Blend
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Dry Thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Here's What You Do
- If desired, soak the peas overnight or use the pre-cook boil method explained in the Recipe Notes. Chop the bacon into small pieces, slice the sausage into medallions or half-moons. Roughly chop the yellow onions and bell peppers and slice the green onions. Peel and smash 2 cloves of garlic and roughly chop the remainder. Measure the Herb and Spice Blend (placing the salt in a separate prep bowl) and the stock.
- In a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, fry the chopped bacon to render the fat, then brown off the sausage in the bacon grease.
- Add the yellow onions and bell peppers and fry until softened and starting to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the green onions and chopped garlic and saute a couple of minutes until the garlic is aromatic.
- Deglaise the pot with a little of the chicken stock, if needed.
- Add the Herb and Spice Blend (Note-don't salt until the end), except the bay leaves and salt. Mix well.
- If soaking the beans, drain the soaking water from the peas and discard; add the soaked peas to the dutch oven, mix well and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the chicken stock, stir well and increase heat to a boil.
- Add the bay leaves and whole garlic cloves.
- Cook at a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat to simmer and continue on a low simmer for 1 ½ hours, covering the stockpot from time to time if getting too thick. Spoon off any foam that gathers on top.
- Stir occasionally until beginning to thicken and peas are soft. Taste for seasoning and salt and add as needed.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve over rice.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
Ginny
Is andouille sausage and kielbasa the same? Can either one be used in this recipe? Thanx for your help
Sweet Daddy D
Hi Ginny: Andouille and Kielbasa are not the same thing, but either can be used in this recipe. Kielbasa is a smoked sausage, usually pork and originates in Poland. It's very common and easy to find, and it is usually mild in flavor. Andouille is a highly seasoned smoked pork sausage originating from the German and French immigrants to Colonial Louisiana. There is quite a difference in the flavor profiles but either will work in this recipe.
Nikki Lehnhardt
I never liked black eyed peas and always found they had a dusty flavor. But I decided to give them a try with this recipe. Amazing. I love them. Soaking and washing made all the difference but the thyme was key.
Sweet Daddy D
Yeah you right, Nikki! Thanks for giving the black eye peas a try, so glad you liked them.
Miranda Lewis-Grant
Your receipt is perfect! I wrote out instructions for my husband to try making for New Years and he refused because I didn't have measurements. So thanks for helping me share my traditions with my husband / future kids.
Sweet Daddy D
Yeah you right! Keep those traditions alive!