Description
Hoppin John brings southern comfort to your table with black-eyed peas and rice. Rich flavors blend perfectly, creating a hearty dish that connects you to Carolina’s culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 oz (113 g) ham, ham hock, or bacon, diced
- 1 cup black-eyed peas, dried (soaked overnight or quick-soaked)
- 1 cup white rice, long-grain
- 1 onion, medium, diced
- 1 bell pepper, green, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ tsp thyme, dried or fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preparation: Thoroughly soak black-eyed peas overnight, draining and rinsing to eliminate debris and impurities.
- Vegetable Prepping: Finely dice onions, bell peppers, and celery into uniform pieces for consistent flavor and cooking.
- Sautéing Base: Warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then introduce diced vegetables, cooking until translucent and fragrant.
- Flavor Building: Integrate ham or bacon into the vegetable foundation, sprinkling smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, and black pepper to create a robust spice profile.
- Liquid Integration: Pour chicken broth over the seasoned mixture, adding prepared black-eyed peas and creating a harmonious cooking environment.
- Slow Cooking: Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, covering the pot to allow peas to become tender and absorb surrounding flavors.
- Rice Incorporation: Gently introduce long-grain rice, stirring to distribute evenly and cook until rice is fluffy and liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Final Touches: Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning with salt and additional spices, then garnish with chopped green onions and serve with optional hot sauce for an authentic Southern culinary experience.
Notes
- Pea Prep Matters: Soak black-eyed peas overnight to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility, ensuring tender, creamy texture without hardness.
- Vegetable Precision: Uniform chopping creates consistent flavor and even cooking, preventing some pieces from being undercooked or overcooked.
- Spice Layer Strategy: Build flavor gradually by sautéing vegetables first, then adding meat and spices before liquid, which develops a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Liquid Balance Technique: Monitor broth levels during simmering to prevent dryness; add extra liquid if needed to maintain moisture and prevent burning, especially when cooking rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg