Hoppin’ John is an old family recipe. I think most southern families have a version of this, but it seems like no two recipes I’ve seen are the same. Growing up, I always had this dish on New Year’s Day. The black-eyed peas are supposed to be good luck. I figure that it can’t hurt to have a little extra luck on other days of the year, so I cook this more than on that one special day. Plus, when the weather is cold and wet, this is an excellent meal to warm everyone up.
Hoppin john
I’m not sure where the name originated. Just like southern recipes, southern stories tend to have multiple versions and variations. The important part of this recipe is the black-eyed peas. When I was a kid, I wasn’t exactly a fan of them. Every January first when we had hoppin’ john, my mother told me that I had to eat one black-eyed pea for every day of good luck that I wanted to have.
This motivated me to eat my peas, but like any kid who doesn’t want to eat, I thought if I counted them that I could slow down dinner and get away with not eating them. My mother amended the “rule” and told me that counting them was bad luck. If you ate everything in your bowl, you could safely assume that there must have been enough.
My kids will eat their peas now, more or less without complaint. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to add some good flavors and a little bacon.
Hoppin john recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package of beef smoked sausage (or polska kielbasa if you prefer)
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or one can about 15 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 4-6 strips of cooked bacon, diced
Instructions
You can use leftover rice and bacon, or cook some in preparation for this recipe. You can also used cooked dried peas or fresh ones, if you can get them.
Start by dicing the sausage, bell pepper, and onion. Saute the sausage in a deep skillet until it starts to brown and add the pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables start to soften. Add the seasonings and stir. Cook for about a minute.
Cut or crumble the bacon. Add it to the skillet, along with the rice. Stir thoroughly. Cook until heated through and everything is well combined.
Serve hot.
Hoppin’ john
Ingredients
- 1 package of beef smoked sausage
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 4-6 strips of cooked bacon, diced
Instructions
- Precook rice and bacon if needed.
- Dice sausage, bell pepper, and onion. Saute the sausage in a deep skillet until it starts to brown and add the pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables start to soften. Add the seasonings and stir. Cook for about a minute.
- Cut or crumble the bacon. Add it to the skillet, along with the rice. Stir thoroughly. Cook until heated through and everything is well combined.
- Serve hot.
I’m sharing at Work It Wednesday by The Turquoise Home.
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