Hoppin' John
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
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Additional Time
12 hrs
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Total Time
14 hrs 5 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
365 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
American
Hoppin' John
Description
Hoppin' John blends black-eyed peas with diced onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and seasonings simmered gently in chicken broth with a ham hock or bone. After soaking the peas overnight, they cook until tender in this seasoned broth, which is later used to prepare long grain white rice. Tomatoes and shredded ham from the bone enrich the peas towards the end, producing a cohesive dish with savory depth and subtle heat from cayenne. The vegetables soften but maintain distinct textures, complementing the creamy peas and delicate rice.
The dish can be served as a main course or side, often enjoyed as a comforting meal especially around New Year's. The rice absorbs flavors from the broth, creating a unifying base. Garnishing with sliced green onions adds freshness.
Notes recommend soaking beans overnight for even cooking and suggest a quick soak alternative by boiling and resting. Cooking time can vary with the pea dryness; monitor tenderness accordingly. Ham bone or hock usage influences flavor depth, with longer simmering for hocks advised to tenderize meat before adding peas. Adjust broth quantity if not using all for cooking rice.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups black-eyed pea rinsed and sorted, dried
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried leaves
- ¼ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth low sodium *see note
- 1 ham hock or ham bone (see note, smoked
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes with juice (canned, canned
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Place the black-eyed peas in a large pot or bowl. Fill with cold water 1-inch above the peas and let soak at room temperataure overnight (see note). Drain well in the morning.
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and seasonings and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth, bay leaf, ham hock/ham bone, and drained black-eyed peas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender (see note on cook time).
- Once the peas are tender, transfer the ham hock/bone to a plate.
- Ladle 2 cups of the broth into a medium saucepan. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let rest covered for 5 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, add tomatoes with their juices and meat from the ham bone to the black-eyed peas. Simmer uncovered.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the black-eyed peas with salt and black pepper to taste.
- To serve, spoon the rice into bowls and top with the ham and peas.
Notes
- Soak black-eyed peas overnight or use a quick soak by boiling for 2 minutes, covering, and resting 60 minutes for faster prep.
- Cooking time varies up to 90 minutes depending on pea dryness; keep covered and check peas for tenderness.
- When using a ham hock instead of a ham bone, simmer it alone for about 60 minutes first to tenderize before adding peas.
- If you don't have a ham bone or hock, add cubed ham after the peas have cooked for 30 minutes.
- Adjust broth amounts if you do not use the cooking liquid to prepare the rice; less broth is needed in that case.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 365 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 365 | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 57g | 19% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 24mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 1307mg | 54% |
| Potassium | 1016mg | 22% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 206IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 46mg | 51% |
| Calcium | 106mg | 11% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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