BBQ Black-eyed Peas

Last But Not Least

Third and last in my small series of cooking with dried beans is my BBQ Black-eyed Peas recipe. They are by far the most well-received by my family, and in fact, they are our favorite!

Growing up, traditionally prepared, Black-eyed Peas made an appearance now and then on our family dinner table. I loved them. Mom always baked hot cornbread to go with, and to me, they were the epitome of Southern comfort food.

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Brilliant BBQ Black-eyes

Raising my own family, I never could get Stache or the kids to join in my nostalgic wonder of a humble bean – no matter which one. That is until my sister-in-love shared her recipe for BBQ Black-eyes. Her recipe contained a bit of ground beef (or turkey) that gave my meat-loving crew something familiar to chew. Brilliant!

Inspired by this delightful recipe, I began playing with it a bit to make it my own. Nowadays, if I happen to have a ham bone leftover from a holiday meal, I make sure to simmer up a pot of these BBQ Black-eyed Peas as soon as possible.

Same Powerhouse of Nutrition

Black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas, are like other dried beans – a powerhouse of plant-based protein, fiber, minerals, and incredibly versatile. In terms of preparedness, having black-eyed peas available to serve our families is as nutritionally wise as it is delicious.

BBQ sauce and bits of meat are the key factors in this dish that my family loves. If you decide to use a favorite bottled BBQ sauce, the recipe is super simple to put together. Often I have some on hand and enjoy the ease of this option.

However, sometimes I don’t have store-bought BBQ sauce. Using items that are usually hanging around in my pantry, I have crafted a lightly sweet and spicy BBQ Sauce that works delightfully enough that I hardly regret the extra few dishes and time it requires to put together.

Surprisingly Delicious!

Either way, I’m sure your family will be as surprised as mine to find that they honestly enjoy BBQ Black-eyed Peas. For those reluctant to try cooking their own dried beans, this recipe is a great place to start.

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BBQ Black-eyed Peas

I'm sure your family will be as surprised as mine to find that they honestly enjoy BBQ Black-eyed Peas. For those reluctant to try cooking their own dried beans, this recipe is a great place to start.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

Blackeyed Peas

• 4 cups Dried Blackeyed Peas rinsed and sorted - checking for rocks or malformed beans
• 2 medium Bay Leaves
• 8 cups Water for soaking
• 2 slices Thick Sliced Apple-wood Bacon
• 1 large Onion chopped
• 3 stalks Celery sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Ham Bone
• 11/2-2 cups Leftover Ham pieces chopped - if available or equivalent of seasoned and cooked ground pork
• 2 large Fresh Carrot grated
• 6 cups Water
• 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce recipe as follows or use favorite bottled BBQ Sauce
• 1 large Fresh Green Pepper seeded and diced

BBQ Sauce (or use 1 1/2 cups favorite bottled BBQ Sauce)

• 1 small Sweet Onion slivered
• 3 cloves Fresh Garlic with skins remaining
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 3/4 cup Honey
• 1/4 cup Molasses
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 large lemon Fresh Lemon Juice approximately 2 Tbls or so
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Mild Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 pinch Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 1 pinch Allspice

Instructions

Black-eyed Peas

1. In a large pot, add rinsed and sorted Black-eyed Peas, water to cover, plus 2 inches, and the 2 bay leaves. Over medium heat, bring the beans to a vigorous simmer and then remove them from the heat, and cover. Let them soak for 1 hour.
   
2. While beans are soaking, prepare aromatics and veggies as directed. Gather all ingredients.
   
3. In a separate 5-6 quart heavy pot or dutch oven, fry the 2 slices of bacon to a light crispy brown to render the fat, then set bacon aside and crumble when cooled.
   
4. Add the chopped onion and begin to caramelize. Now add the 3 stalks of chopped celery, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Lightly saute.
   
5. After beans have soaked 1 hour, drain off the soaking liquid and add them to the dutch oven along with the sauteed onions and celery.
   
6. Add ham bone to the pot and the 6 cups of water. Bring the pot up to a heavy simmer over medium-high heat. Immediately turn down to low and maintain a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
   
7. Add carrots, extra ham pieces, and crumbled bacon, giving the beans a thorough stir. Continue to simmer another 10 minutes or until beans are soft through but still holding together (not mush!). *Note: Depending on how fresh your dried beans are will dramatically affect the timing it will take for them to soften. Test your beans often to avoid them becoming overcooked.
   
8. If making your own Bbq sauce, prepare the sauce while the beans are simmering (otherwise skip this step).
   
9. Remove the ham bone from the beans and trim off any remaining ham, adding the meat back to the beans.
   
10. Add 1 1/2 cups of Bbq sauce to the beans. Mix well and gently simmer 15 minutes.
    
11. 
12. Add diced fresh green pepper to the beans as a condiment before serving.
    

BBQ Sauce (if making your own)

1. Add the small slivered onion, pinch of salt, pinch of red pepper flakes, and 3 unpeeled garlic cloves to 1 1/2 Tsp. olive oil to a heavy-bottomed small pot.
   
2. When onions are translucent, and whole garlic cloves are beginning to soften, add in the fresh thyme. Continue to gently saute until onions caramelize, and garlic is soft inside their skins. Remove onions, garlic, and thyme to a small sieve and set aside.
   
3. Add 2 Tbl. more olive oil and 3 Tbl. tomato paste to the small pot. Carefully caramelize the tomato paste until it changes color to a dark brick red.
   
4. Remove the pot from heat and add the 3/4 cup honey, 1/4 molasses, 2 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbls. lemon juice, 2 Tbls. apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbl. dry mustard, 2 1/2 tsp. mild chili pepper, 1 Tbl. smoked paprika, 1 pinch cinnamon, and 1 pinch nutmeg. Whisk the ingredients together until well mixed.
   
5. Using the back of a spoon, carefully press the onion/garlic/thyme through the sieve. Scrape the pressed pulp off of the bottom of the sieve and add it to the sauce. Whisk the sauce again until well combined. Set aside and add to the beans when directed.
   

Recipe Notes

Enjoy with a fresh green salad on the side and a slice of Homemade Cornbread. Delicious!

I ordered my Black-eyed Peas at Mulberry Lane Farms. I have to say they were the best, dried Black-eyes I've ever had! In fact, they took me by surprise how quickly they softened. It seems that I purchased one of their last bags, but other beans are still available, such as their French Green Lentils that would go fabulously in my Lentils with Pasta, and give you plenty to store for a few more 'rainy days.'

Don’t miss Grammie’s Best Pinto Beans and Lentils with Pasta for two more delicious ways to cook with dried beans!

My 5 Qt Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven is versatile and reliable. It’s one of my favorite.