Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John
Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John is made with black eyed peas that get so flavorful from simmering away all day. A southern New Year’s Day tradition!
A FLAVORFUL BLACK EYED PEAS RECIPE
This Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John recipe tastes way better, in my humble opinion, than any stovetop version. Allowing the black eyed peas to slowly simmer away all day in the crock pot really lets the flavors develop. The difference between Hoppin’ John and your standard pot of black eyed peas is the addition of the peppers, celery and onions. It’s absolutely delicious and it can’t hurt that it might bring you a bit of good luck in the new year!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
No one really knows exactly why. But we do know that the peas were domesticated in West Africa and enslaved Africans from this region were familiar with cultivating this crop. Many southern recipes can be attributed to enslaved men and women making do with the little resources they had. Their creativity and ingenuity have given us most of the southern comfort food recipes we know and love today.
If you don’t have a ham bone, you can use a ham hock or two in its place. The bone really adds a lot of flavor to these beans. This is great if you have any leftovers from your holiday ham dinner. I will purposely leave a little extra ham on the bone when we know we are making this recipe to make it extra meaty!
You can also use cajun, blackened or Old Bay seasoning.
Hoppin’ John is often served with white rice, collard greens and cornbread.
Again the answer is unclear. They have been associated with good luck, wealth and peace in the new year. There is a theory that because the peas themselves represent coin money, a symbol of prosperity.
Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers in the slow cooker until warm. You can also warm them in the oven, stovetop, or microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- dried black eyed peas
- ham bone with meat attached
- onion
- celery
- green bell pepper
- red bell pepper
- garlic
- bay leaves
- creole seasoning
- black pepper
- unsalted chicken stock
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER HOPPIN’ JOHN:
Place the black-eyed peas into a large bowl and add cold water to cover, plus enough to go 2 inches above the peas. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain the water off, and set aside. Add the ham bone to the center of an 8-quart slow cooker. Add the drained peas, onion, celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, creole seasoning, and black pepper into the cooker.
Pour the chicken stock on top and stir everything to combine.
Place the lid on top and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low, or 4 to 5 hours on high. They are done when the peas are soft but not mushy.
Take the ham bone out, let it cool slightly then pick all the meat off the bone. Discard the bay leaves. Add the ham back into the cooker and stir it in to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried black eyed peas
- 1 ham bone with meat attached
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups unsalted chicken stock
Instructions
- Place 16 ounces dried black eyed peas into a large bowl and add cold water to cover, plus enough to go 2 inches above the peas. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water off, and set aside.
- Add 1 ham bone with meat attached to the center of an 8-quart slow cooker. Add the drained black eyed peas, 1 small sweet onion, finely diced, 2 stalks celery, finely diced, 1 green bell pepper, finely diced, 1 red bell pepper, finely diced, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon creole seasoning and 1 teaspoon black pepper into the slow cooker.
- Pour 6 cups unsalted chicken stock and stir everything to combine.
- Place the lid on top and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low, or 4 to 5 hours on high. They are done when the peas are soft but not mushy.
- Take the ham bone out, let it cool slightly then pick all the meat off the bone.
- Discard the bay leaves.
- Add the ham back into the slow cooker and stir it in to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Perfection! Will this recipe work with a turkey leg instead of ham?
While I haven’t personally tried it, I don’t see why it wouldn’t! Be sure to come back and let me know if you give it a try!
Is it possible that I can do this on the stovetop or oven because I don’t have a crockpot? If so, how long would each method take? Thank you kindly!
Yes, you’d basically do it exactly the same way but allow it all to cook slowly on the stovetop in a large stock pot on a lower heat for several hours (lid on). Hoppin’ John is meant to simmer slowly for the flavors to develop. Hope that helps!
Thank you so very much for replying, I truly appreciate it. The instructions you gave will definitely help me out. I need to buy the ingredients & then I can make it up. My daughter & I are really looking forward to having this! Thank you for sharing!