Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Smoked Ham (Printable)

Hearty Southern stew with tender black-eyed peas, smoked ham, and vegetables in rich broth.

# What you need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 smoked ham hocks, approximately 1.5 lbs

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 4 cups canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
07 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth and Seasonings

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
15 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Hot sauce for serving

# Directions:

01 - If using dried black-eyed peas, soak them overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse thoroughly before using.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the smoked ham hocks, prepared black-eyed peas, potato cubes, diced tomatoes with juice, broth, bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if desired.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and ham is falling off the bone.
06 - Remove the ham hocks from the pot. Shred the meat, discarding skin, bone, and excess fat. Return the shredded meat to the stew.
07 - Taste and adjust salt as needed. If desired, simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken the stew.
08 - Remove bay leaves. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with hot sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself once everything hits the pot, leaving you free to handle other tasks while your kitchen smells absolutely incredible.
  • The ham hocks dissolve into the broth creating a richness that makes people ask if you've been simmering this all day when really it's been two hours.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and becomes even better the next day when flavors have had time to settle and deepen.
02 -
  • Skipping the overnight soak for dried peas will result in some uncooked peas no matter how long you simmer, a lesson I learned once and never repeated.
  • The stew continues to thicken as it cools, so if it seems a touch loose at serving time, it'll be perfect by the next day.
03 -
  • Don't be tempted to add more salt early on, the ham hocks will season the broth generously as they break down and you can always add more but can never remove it.
  • If your ham hocks are particularly large, they might need an extra 15-20 minutes of cooking, so check for meat that shreds easily rather than watching the clock.
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