Drain the peas and reserve liquid. Cube the tasso (or seasoning meat). Roughly chop the yellow onions and garlic, then measure all the remaining ingredients.
Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the seasoning meat to brown for about 5 minutes while its fat renders out.
Remove the seasoning meat from the Dutch oven and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the bacon grease to the same Dutch oven.
When the bacon grease has melted, add the AP flour and stir constantly to make a medium-dark roux. (See Notes)
Add the yellow onions and stir to completely combine with the roux. Saute, stirring often, for about 8 minutes until the onions are beginning to clear.
Stir in the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until the garlic becomes aromatic.
Next, add the Herb and Spice Blend (except the sugar) and stir for about a minute.
Maintaining medium heat, add the drained peas and seasoning meat to the onions and roux. Gently stir (don’t mash the peas!) to mix the roux throughout the peas. Saute for about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat, then add enough stock to cover the peas by about ½ inch. (See Notes).
Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
Bring the peas and stock to a slight boil and maintain that for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After about 5 minutes, lower the temperature and simmer for about 15 minutes while the stock reduces and thickens. This could take longer depending on the amount of stock you added.
If it gets too thick, add some of the reserved stock to thin it out.
Once the peas have reached your desired thickness, taste and adjust seasonings as needed and add the sugar if you would like a sweeter flavor.
Once you have the desired thickness, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice or simply as is.
Notes
This recipe will yield about 6 cups of Peas in a Roux; the serving size is estimated to be approximately ½ cup.Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 5 days and up to 10 months in the freezer, in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.Canned peas are perfect for this recipe. Small sweet peas or petit pois work well as do frozen English peas and even fresh peas. If you use fresh peas, you may need to increase the cooking time.Substitute smoked bacon or smoked sausage (preferably andouille) for the Tasso. Keep in mind that whatever you use will impact the flavor profile. Typically tasso and andouille will bring some spice to the party and a little goes a long way.Use butter, margarine, lard, or vegetable oil as substitutes for bacon grease.How dark should I make the roux? This is a matter of personal taste. The roux is used to thicken and provide a smooth flavor, but as the roux gets darker, the starch molecules tend to break up and provide less thickening. This recipe works well with a medium to dark roux.Some people like their Peas in a Roux to be very soupy and some like it like a thick gravy mixed with peas. As the pot simmers, add more stock if it's too thick, or simmer it longer with the cover off if it's too thin.