The greatest recipe for Black-Eyed Peas in the Southern Style that you’ve been searching for. Delicious, creamy, and bursting with richness. These Instant Pot black-eyed peas are quick and easy to prepare—they don’t require soaking! Perfect black-eyed peas, aromatics, cajun spices, and tender smoked turkey bits. You just need one recipe for southern comfort food, get-togethers, and other occasions. Provided are stovetop notes!
One of my greatest passions will always be returning to dishes with a Southern flair, you guys. Forever in love with everything that has soul, profundity, and a lengthy past. I’m excited to be concentrating on these kinds of dishes more and more, I promise. We’re going to talk about these black-eyed peas from the South today! I’m not sure whether there’s a medium ground, but I know some people who either adore them or despise them!
Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas
Firstly, have you previously had them? When it comes to events like New Year’s Day, black-eyed peas are highly noticeable. But they are quite important in the history of cookery, especially in the South. You can have something lot more amazing, or you can have black-eyed peas prepared on a regular basis. Yes, that’s southern cooking done to extreme, mouthwatering perfection!
Why is this recipe considered Southern? There’s enormous, robust taste to these black-eyed peas! Nothing bland, unseasoned, or diluted is being said here.I’m simply telling it how it is. These peas have a great deal of depth and are rich, creamy, and hearty. This is the ONLY recipe for the greatest black-eyed peas!
A Little About These Peas & More
Contrary to its name, black-eyed peas are really considered a legume rather than a type of pea. But because their seeds and pods may be eaten, peas and beans are categorized as legumes. Originating in West Africa, black-eyed peas were transported by slaves to the West Indies, the American South (including Georgia, the Lowcountry area, and the Sea Islands of the Carolinas).
These same Africans who were held as slaves grew these peas in gardens since they were thought to be a cheap food source. These peas were used to feed farm animals and were frequently consumed in soups and stews during the Civil War. In the modern era, black-eyed peas have managed to hold onto their standing in the Black community and its cherished Southern tradition.
What You’ll Need For This Recipe
- Oil: When sautéing the aromatics, I frequently use olive oil. But occasionally, I also use duck fat or rendered bacon fat. They’ll give it extra depth and taste!
- Greens: The Cajun/Creole trinity—onion, bell pepper, and celery—is required! This is the flavorful foundation that gives these peas their additional kick.
- Jalapeño: I think a little heat goes well with almost anything. I include only a single little jalapeño into this recipe. If you are sensitive to heat, you may omit it altogether or substitute a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Garlic: No need for an explanation.Garlic is life, and it’s #bae!
- Seasonings: Cajun seasoning and bay leaves are required. This kind of spice is a mixture that includes garlic, red pepper, black pepper, and salt, among other ingredients. My kitchen pantry is home to brands like Tony Chachere’s and Slap Ya Mama.
- Worcestershire: This sauce gives soup and stew-like foods a lot of flavor.
- The southern flavor of these black-eyed peas comes from the smoked pork. The smoked pork adds a hearty, extra-filling richness to the dish. For my peas, I use smoked turkey wings, but you may use any other smoked turkey (neck/legs), cooked bacon chunks, smoked ham hock, or salt pork.
- You know, black-eyed peas. I prefer to go through them first and, just to be sure, give them a little rinse. The purpose of washing the peas is only to ensure that there is no dirt or goop stuck to them, since you may occasionally discover little, scraggly bits in them.
- Chicken stock/broth: Tons of flavor! They aren’t cooked in water, which is one of the things that makes this dish so tasty. Since the cajun seasoning would already give us a lot of salty emotions, I like to use low-sodium.
How To Make Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
- Cook the vegetables. Once the IP is set to the sauté function, cook the bell pepper, onion, celery, and jalapeño combo until they become translucent and soft.
- Include the garlic. Add the garlic and heat it until it becomes aromatic.
- Incorporate the remaining tastes. Next, include the smoked turkey chunks, black-eyed peas, worcestershire, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Once everything is well combined, stir and secure the lid.
- Cook under pressure. Assign the IP to the pressure cook mode and program a 35-minute timer. Allow all of the pressure in the vent function to freely dissipate when the cooking cycle is finished.
- Cut into the flesh. After removing the meat from the saucepan, give it some time to cool. After that, shred the flesh off the bones and return it to the saucepan.
- Fold in the peas. The combination may first seem more brothy, but the peas will thicken and become creamier as you whisk.
- Assist. After giving the black-eyed peas a taste test, feel free to add extra cajun seasoning to suit your taste. If preferred, serve right away with white rice, cornbread, and/or freshly chopped parsley. Have fun!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
First of all, these black-eyed peas prepared in the South are so delicious, chefs kiss! 😛 This dish is soul food perfection in terms of tastes, textures, and taste. Mmm. In addition, one of my favorite recipes to make in the Instant Pot is beans and peas because of how well they turn out and how little time they require to cook. Though substantial enough to be enjoyed as a light supper on its own, it is the ideal side dish to serve directly alongside your main entrée.
How To Serve These Black-Eyed Peas
After cooking, you may eat these peas just as they are. But my favorite way to eat them is to top them with some white rice, like in the photo! This style of serving is extremely similar to a meal called Hoppin’ John, which is mostly made of rice, smoked pork, and seasonings with black-eyed peas. It adds a little more bling to these peas and makes them feel fuller. Overall, feel free to serve them whatever you like!
Are Black-Eyed Peas Healthy?
Sure, Nutritious and full of health advantages, black-eyed peas are a must-try food. They are a great source of calcium, potassium, fiber, folate, protein, and other nutrients. And one cup of cooked peas provides several of these advantages! They also aid in lowering blood pressure, preventing anemia, enhancing digestion, and enhancing skin and eye health.
Can I Make This Recipe On The Stovetop?
Don’t worry if you don’t own a pressure cooker. This dish can still be prepared!
- ⇢ You must soak your peas first. There are two types of soaking techniques available to you. Place the peas in a big dish, cover with cold water, and let soak all night. In a big saucepan, bring roughly 6-7 cups of water to a boil for a quicker soak option. After that, pour in the peas and turn off the heat source. Give the peas between thirty and sixty minutes to soak in the boiling water.
- Once the peas have soaked, remove the excess water and set them aside. Now, all you have to do is cook everything in a big stock pot or Dutch oven over the stove, just how it says on the recipe card below.
- Once all the ingredients are combined, place a lid on the pot and simmer over medium heat for 45 to 1 hour, or until the peas are soft. Make careful to periodically return to the saucepan to check on and stir the peas. Simply add more water or stock/broth if you see that the pot needs more liquid at any time to keep it from sticking.
*Recipe card has complete cooktop instructions! ♡
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Creamy Southern Black Eyed Peas (Instant Pot + Stovetop!)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil- bacon grease/duck fat as substitute
- 1 large white onion finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeño seeds discarded and finely diced
- 6 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 –3 teaspoons cajun seasoning plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 lb smoked turkey wings- smoked ham hock as substitute
- 1 lb 16 ounces dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- freshly chopped parsley as garnish- optional
for serving
- cooked white rice and/or cornbread- optional
Instructions
- For seven minutes, use the “sauté” setting on the Instant Pot. Apply the oil to the pot’s bottom. After the oil begins to shimmer, add the bell pepper, celery, onion, and jalapeño combination. Stirring constantly, cook the aromatics for around 6-7 minutes, or until they become soft.
- Add the garlic and heat for a further minute.
- To the saucepan, add the black-eyed peas, worcestershire, cajun spice, bay leaves, and chicken stock. After combining everything, cover the pot with the lid to keep it in place.
- Choose “manual” or “pressure cook” on the Instant Pot and set the timer for 35 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is over, let the pressure naturally release in the “vent” position for a duration of 7 to 10 minutes, or until the steam stops completely.
- Remove the smoked meat from the pot by opening the cover, then let it cool for a few minutes before handling. Mix the ingredients well. Returning to the meat, shred it off the bones into bite-sized pieces using two forks or, if preferred, your hands fitted with disposable gloves. Return the meat chunks to the pot.
- Once everything is well combined, take the bay leaves out of the saucepan. The mixture will appear extremely brothy at this point. To break up some of the peas, just give it a few strokes with a potato masher. Stir to blend. This will break down some of the peas, giving the mixture a creamier consistency.
- If desired, add extra cajun seasoning after tasting the peas. For added comfort, serve immediately with cooked white rice or cornbread and a garnish of finely chopped parsley. Have fun!
Stovetop Instructions:
- You must soak your peas beforehand. There are two types of soaking techniques available to you. Place the peas in a big dish, cover with cold water, and let soak all night. In a big saucepan, bring roughly 6-7 cups of water to a boil for a quicker soak option. After that, pour in the peas and turn off the heat source. Give the peas between thirty and sixty minutes to soak in the boiling water. Once the peas have soaked, remove the excess water and set them aside.
- From this point on, you will essentially follow the instructions listed above, with the exception of cooking everything in a big stock pot or Dutch oven over the stove. Steps 1-2: Sauté the aromatics over medium heat.
- Once everything has been combined (step 3), place a lid on the pot. The peas should be cooked on the stove for 45 to 1 hour, or until they are soft, over medium heat. Make careful to periodically return to the saucepan to check on and stir the peas. Just add a dash extra water or stock/broth if you notice that the pot is losing liquid too rapidly or requires additional liquid to keep from sticking. If necessary, lower the heat to medium-low.
- Tear the flesh off the bones after removing the smoked meat. Return the meat chunks to the saucepan and swirl to mix. To break up some of the peas, just give it a few strokes with a potato masher. This will cause some of the peas to break down, giving the mixture a creamier consistency. Stir to blend.
- If desired, add extra cajun seasoning after tasting the peas.
Notes
- For cajun seasonings, I use Slap Ya Mama or Tony Chachere’s.
- For best recipe success, please read the blog post & notes in its entirety.