Southern Black-Eyed Peas

4.89 from 9 votes

A doubled Southern-style black-eyed peas recipe made with smoked sausage and smoked turkey or ham hock for deep, rich flavor. Simple, hearty, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: southern black, southern food, southern recipe

Servings:

Ingredients

2 pounds dried black-eyed peas
2 pounds smoked sausage diced
1 –2 pounds smoked turkey or 1 large ham hock
2 large onions diced
2 stalks celery diced
4 –6 teaspoons garlic minced
2 jalapeños minced (optional) or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
2 –4 teaspoons Creole Kick to taste
14 –16 cups chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak peas overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse well.
Quick soak: Boil peas 2 minutes, cover, let stand 1 hour, then drain and rinse.
Brown sausage in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove and set aside, leaving drippings in the pot.
Sauté aromatics by adding onions and celery to the pot. Cook 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and jalapeños (or cayenne) and cook 1 minute.
Simmer by returning sausage to the pot. Add peas, smoked turkey or ham hock, broth, bay leaves, and Creole kick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1–1½ hours until peas are tender.
Finish by removing turkey or ham hock, shredding meat, and returning it to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Notes

Season near the end — smoked meats vary in salt
For thicker peas, mash a small scoop and stir back in
Reheat gently with a splash of broth or stock

Nutrition