Ella Walter
Hoppin' John is a hearty and flavorful Southern dish that is traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring good luck and prosperity. The dish is made with black-eyed peas, which are said to represent coin money, and is typically served with rice and cornbread. While it can be made on a stovetop, using a slow cooker or crock pot allows the flavors of the dish to develop more slowly and intensly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Black-eyed peas, smoked sausage, ham hock, onion, garlic, celery, peppers, tomatoes, chicken/beef broth, rice, creole seasoning, black pepper, bay leaves, salt |
| Preparation | Soak black-eyed peas in water for 8 hours or overnight, then drain. Cook smoked sausage in a skillet until browned. Add all ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for 1 hour, then low for 6-8 hours. |
| Serving Suggestions | Serve Hoppin' John over cooked white rice with cornbread, collard greens, or other Southern-style sides. |
| Storage | Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. |
| Variations | For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and use vegetable stock. For a vegan version, also omit the creole seasoning and use vegan-friendly broth. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Soak black-eyed peas overnight
Soaking the black-eyed peas is an optional step when making Hoppin' John in a crock pot. Some recipes recommend soaking the peas, while others suggest that there is no need to presoak the peas.
If you choose to soak the black-eyed peas, you should follow these steps: Place the desired amount of dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl or container and cover them with cold water. The water level should be about 2-3 inches above the peas. You can also add a tablespoon of salt to the water, but this is optional. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. After soaking, drain the water and set the peas aside.
Soaking the peas can help speed up the cooking time and reduce the amount of fluid needed when cooking. It can also make the peas creamier and enhance their flavour. However, if you are short on time or prefer a quicker method, you can choose to not soak the peas and proceed directly to cooking them in the crock pot.
Remember to rinse the black-eyed peas before adding them to the crock pot, regardless of whether you choose to soak them or not. This will remove any dirt or impurities and ensure that your final dish is clean and tasty.
Oven-Frying Patty Pan Squash: A Healthy Alternative
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Prepare the meat
To prepare the meat for Crock Pot Hoppin' John, you'll need smoked sausage and a ham hock or ham bone. If you can't get hold of smoked sausage, you can use salted pork or smoked turkey sausage.
First, slice the sausage and add to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the sausage is browned and caramelized. If you're short on time, you can skip this step, but browning the sausage will add extra flavour to the dish.
Next, add the sausage to the crock pot along with the other ingredients. If you're using a ham bone, place it in the centre of the crock pot and add the remaining ingredients around it. If you're using a ham hock, you'll need to cook it separately before adding it to the crock pot. To do this, bring a pot of water to a boil, add the ham hock, and simmer until the meat is tender (around 1 hour). Transfer the ham hock to a plate to cool, then shred the meat and add it to the crock pot.
Finally, stir all the ingredients in the crock pot to combine, and it's ready to cook!
How to Fix a Broken Seal on Double-Pane Windows
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Add ingredients to the crock pot
To make Hoppin' John in a crock pot, you'll first want to cook your meat of choice in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned. This could be smoked sausage, salted pork, ham, or a vegetarian alternative.
Next, add the meat to the crock pot, along with the black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes and green chillies, beef broth, onion, bell pepper, Cajun seasoning, garlic, and black pepper. You can also add in some Rotel tomatoes, and beef or chicken broth. If you want to add rice, it is recommended to add it about 20 minutes before serving, and cook on high for 20 minutes.
For a vegetarian option, replace the meat with vegetable stock or vegetarian chicken-flavoured stock. You can also add in some creole seasoning, bay leaves, and black pepper.
Finally, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
Panorama: Trinidad's Steel Pan Festival
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cook on high or low
Hoppin' John is a Southern dish that is traditionally eaten on New Year's Day to bring good luck and prosperity. The dish is made with black-eyed peas, which are believed to represent coin money and are therefore considered a symbol of prosperity.
When cooking Hoppin' John in a crock pot, there are two temperature settings you can use: high or low.
If you're short on time, you can cook Hoppin' John on high for a shorter duration. Most recipes recommend cooking on high for 4 to 6 hours. However, it's important to note that the timing may vary depending on your crock pot's heat settings. For example, one recipe suggests cooking on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 10 to 12 hours, indicating that the crock pot used in that recipe takes longer to cook food at a lower temperature.
Starting the crock pot on high for the first hour and then turning it down to low for the remaining 7 hours is a common technique. This allows you to speed up the cooking process initially and then let the flavors develop slowly over the remaining cooking time.
On the other hand, if you have the entire day to let your Hoppin' John cook slowly, you can set your crock pot to low for 7 to 8 hours. This longer cooking duration at a lower temperature allows the flavors of the dish to develop more intensely.
It's worth mentioning that some recipes suggest that you don't need to soak the black-eyed peas before adding them to the crock pot. However, many recipes do recommend soaking the peas overnight or for 8 hours, which can speed up the cooking time and reduce the amount of fluid needed.
Additionally, if you're adding rice to your Hoppin' John, it's typically recommended to cook the rice separately and serve it on the side or stir it into the crock pot towards the end of the cooking process. Cooking the rice in the crock pot for the entire duration may result in overcooked rice.
PANS and Seizures: A Troubling Connection
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$89.99 $94.99
Serve with rice
When serving Hoppin' John with rice, you can either serve the dish on top of the rice or have the rice on the side. If you want to cook the rice in the crock pot, add it about 20 minutes before serving and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes or until tender. You can also use boil-in-the-bag rice if you prefer.
If you're cooking the rice separately, prepare it as you normally would before serving. Spoon some cooked rice into a bowl and ladle the Hoppin' John over the rice.
Southern tradition dictates that Hoppin' John should be served with white rice, but you can also use brown rice if you prefer.
Lamb Chops: Pan-Frying to Perfection
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Hoppin' John is a Southern dish made with black-eyed peas, rice, and smoked sausage. It is traditionally eaten on New Year's Day and is said to bring good luck and prosperity.
Most recipes recommend soaking the peas in water for 8 hours or overnight before adding them to the crock pot. However, some recipes suggest that this step can be skipped if you are short on time.
In addition to black-eyed peas and smoked sausage, you will need onion, bell pepper, garlic, chicken or beef broth, and Creole or Cajun seasoning. Some recipes also include diced tomatoes, ham hock or salted pork, and collard greens.
Most recipes recommend cooking Hoppin' John on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. However, some recipes suggest cooking on low for 6 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
Hoppin' John is often served with white rice and cornbread or biscuits. You can also serve it with collard greens, roasted sweet potatoes, fried okra, or a green salad to balance out the richness of the dish.
