Start the New Year with These Perfect Southern Black-Eyed Peas

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is supposed to bring good luck. Everyone could use a bit of extra luck, and it certainly helps that black-eyed peas are absolutely delicious. Oprah says black-eyed peas are her favorite meal, especially with a side of cornbread. Cook them in a rich, savory stew like this, with lots of spices and a bit of smoky meat for flavor, and they turn into a luscious, comforting meal that will make you feel a bit luckier just for eating it. 

There are a lot of different ways to cook black-eyed peas. This recipe starts with ham hocks or smoked turkey wings. Put the meat in a large pot and cover it with enough water to cover the top of the meat. Cover the pot and let it boil until the meat is tender. The author says it should boil for at least an hour. If the water boils off, add some more so that the meat is always covered. 

Add rinsed, soaked black-eyed peas to the pot. The author says not to use canned peas for this, because they’re more likely to fall apart in the stew. Canned peas make the recipe faster, but this is not ever going to be a quick-cooking meal, so you might as well go for the best-tasting peas, even if it takes a bit longer. Along with the black-eyed peas, add kosher salt, garlic powder, a bit of sugar, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. You can leave the cayenne out if you don’t like spice, but if you can take the heat, it’s a good addition. 

Let the peas boil until they’re tender. You’ll want to check them and give them a stir occasionally. The author says it’ll take about an hour and a half for the peas to cook. Add frozen okra to the pot and let it cook, covered, for about another half an hour, or until the okra softens and feels tender. 

If you prefer a brothier black-eyed pea stew, you can add more liquid at the end to thin it out. If you like it thicker, you can use a blender or immersion blender to blend some of the peas and put them back into the pot to thicken it. For a really lucky new year, serve it with skillet cornbread. 

Get the recipe: Southern Black-Eyed Peas from Grandbaby Cakes

• Carla Hall’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Hot Sauce Vinaigrette
• Black-Eyed Pea Stew
• Cowboy Caviar

Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.