Recipe

New Years Black-eyed Peas
Submitted by Jennifer Mishue on Dec 31, 2024

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a Southern tradition believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead, with the peas symbolizing coins due to their appearance; many people serve them with collard greens (representing paper money) and cornbread (representing gold) for a complete "lucky" meal.

This custom is deeply rooted in Southern American culture.

Servings:
8

Complexity:   
Medium

Total Time:
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 30 min Soaking Time: 8 hours

Ingredients:
12 ounces bacon

2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic, about 4 large cloves

10 cups unsalted/low-sodium chicken stock, OR broth (plus additional, if necessary)

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked* and drained

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 cups fresh parsley, chopped (plus additional, for garnish)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Using a pair of kitchen shears, snip bacon slices into 1-inch segments and place in pot (or chop with a knife on a cutting board).

Cook, stirring often, until bacon is crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon grease from the pot, reserving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Add minced garlic to the pot and stir for 1 minute, or until fragrant and beginning to turn a light golden brown.

Pour in chicken stock, black-eyed peas, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, pepper, and half of the cooked bacon pieces (refrigerate the other half of the bacon for now).

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the black-eyed peas are tender. If the liquid gets too low before the peas are done, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock. And if you desire less liquid by the time peas are done, simmer uncovered for 10 or so more minutes

Remove the bay leaves and serve the soup hot with the reserved bacon crumbles and additional fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on top.