Grandma's Southern Hoppin' John Recipe Is a New Year's Tradition (High Fiber, High Protein) by Donna John
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When many people think of what to eat on New Year's, the first thing that comes to mind is Hoppin' John. So what, exactly, is Hoppin' John?
Hoppin' John is a southern recipe of black-eyed peas and ham or bacon served over rice. The first written recipe for this classic dish may have appeared in The Carolina Housewife in 1847. But food historians believe Hoppin' John has African, French and Caribbean roots.
According to the History Channel, the mixture of dried peas, rice and pork was made by enslaved people in the South long before Hoppin' John first appeared in any cookbooks. "It seems to have originated in the Low Country of South Carolina, an area where plantation owners searched long and hard for a crop that would flourish in the hot, muggy weather. Rice grew well in the river deltas, so it was a natural choice, but the white farmers had no real experience with cultivating rice on a large scale. Enter the slave trade and enslaved West Africans who had grown rice for generations."
Although you can use any type of dried peas in Hoppin’ John, the black-eyed pea is the most traditional (and is considered good luck in the New Year). Regardless of the type of peas you use, Hoppin' John is a delicious, budget-friendly recipe that grandmas, moms and dads have been making for centuries.
This easy, gluten-free, high-fiber and high-protein Hoppin' John recipe has simple ingredients: celery, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, black-eyed peas (check out the health benefits of black-eyed peas), a bay leaf, dried thyme, Cajun seasoning and a meaty ham hock. The ingredients are simmered gently on the stovetop until the black-eyed peas are tender.
Serve this flavorful Hoppin' John recipe over rice for a simple, delicious dinner, and with a bottle of hot sauce close by. This southern recipe is perfect for meal prep and reheats well for lunch or dinner. Hope it brings you good luck in the New Year (or anytime)!
Cuisine: American / French / African / Caribbean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
- 4 cups water
- 1 meaty ham hock (you could also use thick slab bacon)
- cooked rice, for serving
Here's how to make it:
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the celery, onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme and Cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the water and add the ham hock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until peas are tender. (Feel free to add more or less Cajun seasoning, depending on your tastes. Instead of a ham hock, you could use thick-cut bacon in this recipe.)
- When the peas are tender, remove the ham hock and pick off the meat. Add the meat back to the pot. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe reheats well. This recipe can easily be doubled.
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