This Black-Eyed Peas New Year's recipe is flavored with bacon, garlic, and thyme, for a savory, delicious soup that's said to bring luck and prosperity when eaten on New Year's Day!
2tablespoonsfresh minced garlicabout 4 large cloves
10cupsunsalted/low-sodium chicken stockOR broth (plus additional, if necessary)
1pounddried black-eyed peassoaked* and drained
4bay leaves
2teaspoonsdried thyme
2cupsfresh parsleychopped (plus additional, for garnish)
Freshly ground black pepperto taste
Instructions
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Using a pair of kitchen shears, snip bacon slices into 1-inch segments and place in pot (or chop with a knife on a cutting board). Cook, stirring often, until bacon is crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon grease from the pot, reserving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
Add minced garlic to the pot and stir for 1 minute, or until fragrant and beginning to turn a light golden brown. Pour in chicken stock, black-eyed peas, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, pepper, and half of the cooked bacon pieces (refrigerate the other half of the bacon for now).
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the black-eyed peas are tender. If the liquid gets too low before the peas are done, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock. And if you desire less liquid by the time peas are done, simmer uncovered for 10 or so more minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and serve the soup hot with the reserved bacon crumbles and additional fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
Video
Notes
*REGULAR SOAK METHOD: Sort out any stones and shriveled/broken pieces, and then place black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover with a couple inches of cool water. Allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.*QUICK SOAK METHOD: Put sorted beans in a large pot and cover with a couple inches of cool water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to soak for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with recipe.Around New Year's, you can also often find containers of pre-soaked black-eyed peas in the produce section.*SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS (ingredients remain the same except for reducing the chicken broth):
Use your favorite method to cook your bacon until crispy. I prefer baking mine in the oven for the least mess. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, line with bacon, and cook in preheated 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Use a fork or tongs to remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain and then, once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon.
Cover and refrigerate half of the chopped bacon put the rest of it in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
Add dried black-eyed peas (pre-soaking is optional), garlic, most of the fresh parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper to the crockpot.
Pour in 8 cups chicken broth (a slow cooker requires less broth since there's no evaporation) and stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours (more or less depending on how hot your crockpot runs) or until the black-eyed peas are tender.
Discard the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in remaining fresh parsley and serve with (reheated) reserved bacon.