Southern Black Eyed Peas with Smoked Turkey
This Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe is the perfect soul food meal for New Year's, Sunday dinners, or any celebration. This dish is made with a rich broth using smoked turkey, ham hocks, bacon, or salt pork for amazing flavor.
Servings 10 servings
Calories 119kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 3 garlic cloves Minced.
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound bag dried black eyed peas Rinsed
- 1 smoked turkey leg About 1 pound to 1 1/2 pounds, fully cooked, You can find turkey legs and wings at most grocers. See notes for substitutions.
- 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Fill a Dutch oven or soup pot with water (enough to cover the black eyed peas) and place it on the stove to boil. Once the water has boiled, remove it from the heat and add the black eyed peas. Allow the beans to soak for 1 hour and then drain the beans.
- Place a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- When hot, add the onions and garlic. Saute until translucent and fragrant.
- Add in the chicken broth, black eyed peas, smoked turkey, Creole seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir.
- Place the lid on the pot and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 hours until the beans are soft. You can test if they are done by grabbing one bean out of the pot and mashing it with a spoon or fork.
- Open up the pot and remove the bay leaf and smoked turkey. If you like meat in your black eyed peas, use 2 forks and shred the turkey and return it to the pot. Taste repeatedly and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Cool before serving. I like to use a slotted spoon to serve.
Video
Notes
- Not soaking the black eyed peas in advance will likely add a couple of hours to your cook time.
- Rinse the black eyes peas first to remove any surface dirt.
- You can reduce the amount of broth used in the recipe if you wish. 6 cups will produce rich and flavorful broth we call "pot liquor," because it's loaded with nutrients and great for sipping. 4-5 cups is adequate for a pound of beans.
- Decide how you like your beans. Do you like them firm, soft, or mushy? Check in on the beans frequently while they cook. They will typically need anywhere from 1 1/2 hours - 3 hours depending on your texture preference. I like to cook mine for 2 hours. I like for them to be soft, but not mushy.
- You can of course still use ham hocks, a leftover ham bone, salt pork, country ham, or even bacon. If you are planning to use bacon I recommend that you cook the bacon first and omit the olive oil used in this recipe. Cook the onions in the bacon fat.
- You can double the black eyed peas and use the same amount of smoked turkey or opt for one slightly larger. The cook time will remain the same.
- You can substitute Creole seasoning for whatever flavor or spice blend you like.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g