Lucky Black Eye Pea Recipe

Lucky Black Eyed Peas

Oh wow! This was such an amazing dish! I'm not even going to go into how all of the wonderful flavors from the pork fused seamlessly with the various home grown veggies to create a dish that was truly "comfort food."  I could, but I'm too excited to give you this recipe!!

Lucky Black Eyed Pea Recipe

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs       black eye peas (cowpea)

4 cups        organic chicken broth

1                ham hock 

bacon,       cooked and chopped  (how ever much is in one of those packages... sorry.. trash day.. :(

1& 1/2 tsp bacon grease (optional, but I couldn't help it.. Yumm!)

1 cup         chopped onion

3/4 cup      chopped celery

3 cloves garlic minced or dry equivalent

water          enough to make sure the beans are slightly covered

pepper 

The following are optional.. just ideas and suggestions. These were not included in the original recipe:

salt (remember, pork is salty)

bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

First, you need beans that have been soaked.. BEP's can just about triple in size when soaked so just be aware. To soak there are 2 methods that I am aware of.:

1.) Put dry beans in large pot and cover with water at least 3 inches above the beans. Allow to soak overnight.

2.) Quick soak by putting dry beans in a large pot, filling (about 3 inches above the beans) with water, covering, and bringing it to a rolling boil. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes (some say more, some say less..) and turn off the heat. Let beans soak for 1 hour and drain.

Now that you have your beans ready to go, its time for the hard part. 

Step one:

Put all that stuff into your crock pot.

Notice how the broth slightly covers the beans while cooking.

Step Two:

Set on high for 3 and a half  hours, cover.

Step Three: 

GO ENJOY THE NEW YEAR!  Yay! and in 3 and a half hours (or probably 6 on low) you'll have yourself some good new fashioned Black Eyed Peas!