Nope, not here. I've had black-eyed peas since I was a wee one. Not my favorite bean but it is tradition. And collard greens, but we love those.

Probably because the beans are just store shelf and not known how long they have been around. And yes, they go from hard to soft in a blink.

I cooked a similar bag of black beans DH bought and had the same issue. Once they were mealy but not done though soft gritty, crunchy. I turned off the pot with the lid on and let them rest and hour-ish. Heat back on then off again, and caught them perfectly tender. Probably try that with the black-eyes.

I have a chunk of taso and a spice blend of fresh tumeric, coriander, pepper, thyme. Roasted garlic mashed with salt. And I still use one of my Grandmothers silver dimes I keep in my jewelry drawer. *tumeric to boost the color a bit out of the grey zone.

hoppin john

Thanks, sleevendog. I sent friends some Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas to make Hopping John, but I think they already ate up all the rice.

I don't have so much of a problem with black beans, just with black-eyed peas. Maybe this year I'll try only soaking them a couple of hours instead of overnight.

I can't get anything like tasso around here. I tried a commercial ham hock one year and the fake smoke taste was awful. So now I just use bacon instead, because, despite the article, it's much less hateful than what passes for ham hocks nowadays, especially since the Smithfield buyout.

I suppose I could try the so-called "fresh" peas, but I wonder about what they're using to keep them viable.

IMPE, black-eyed peas cook like lentils; soaking isn't necessary.

I just pick over & rinse well, then dump everything (peas, water, chopped onions, other veggies, seasonings) in the pot at once and simmer until done. I've noticed that just washing them usually causes the skins to start swelling.

I buy organic ones from the bulk bins in our local health food stores, so they may be a bit fresher than the bagged ones @ the supermarket.

Thanks, carolb. I can't say myself that I've ever noticed the skins swelling, at least not on the Publix store brand ones. We don't have any bulk bins at any local stores, except bulk candy and coffee at the Fresh Market. One produce place used to have bulk dried beans, but they got rid of them to make room for a lot more Goya.

Happy New Year, writersblock. Here is a recipe that we've used for a number of years. Being from Pittsburgh, I have no idea how this compares to the real deal Hoppin John. That said it is a Cooks Illustrated recipe. I added my notes at the bottom. Either way, it's a good starting point. Lastly, the non-magazine worthy picture was taken and sent via phone to my boys to get them to come home a day sooner -- it worked:)

Hoppin John -- Cooks Illustrated

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 (1- to 1½-pound) boneless ham (or ham steak), cut into ¾-inch-thick planks

2 slices of bacon, minced

1 onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (16-ounce) bags frozen black-eyed peas
2 bay leaves
1½ cups long-grain rice
3 scallions, sliced thin

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the ham and cook until well browned on both sides, about 6 minutes, flipping the steaks half-way through. Transfer the ham to a plate and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp 8 - 10 minutes.

   Add onion and celery to pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
   Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, peas, bay leaves and browned ham and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until beans are just tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer ham to cutting board and cut into ½-inch pieces.

   Place rice in fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl running water until water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain rice well and stir into pot. Place square of aluminum foil directly on surface of simmering liquid. Simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes, stirring and repositioning foil twice during
   cooking. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff
   rice with fork. Stir in scallions, bacon and ham. Serve with hot sauce.
   Serves 8.

• I use three ribs celery plus leaves
• I throw in diced red pepper if I have it, with the onions, celery, etc.
• I've used Uncle Bens and Carolina White rice.
• I don't reposition foil.
• *** Important- I check the peas after initial 15 minutes -- mine are usually good at that point.
• We like a bit more heat -- I usually throw in some 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper with garlic or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced chipotle.
• I fry the ham, dice it , throw it in and it just cooks with rice. I'm sure its better their way.
• The frozen black-eyed peas I've used are the Pictsweet brand.
• This makes a lot -- I typically half the recipe if the guys aren't here.

CathyinSWPA

Pic of the beans I picked up. Only two bags left. Big empty shelf space. Did not realize they are popular for NewYears here.

I plan to cook them separate to just tender as the bag recipe. Mixed grain separate. Veg separate,...poblano, red pepper, celery w/leaves, shallot/red onion, a habanero, spices. combine once beans are tender. Collards separate. Serve with cornbread.

DH likes fresh garlic mortar and pestle with salt folded in when beans are tender.

The bag looks fresh, not old and dusty like some on shelves. Still don't trust cooking the rice with the beans. From experience it is risky. Being smaller beans I don't see any reason to pre-soak them.

Thanks, Cathy and sleevendog! Cathy, except for the foil that recipe isn't too different from a lot of other recipes, and the photo looks really good. Sleevendog, that's interesting that it calls for brown rice. I wouldn't cook that together, either. Sounds like the peas would be mush by the time the rice is cooked. They are a lot of the time even with white rice, IME

In any case, I'll be having it with mizuna instead of collards, since I got an armload of mizuna this morning that had to be harvested.

Happy New Year, everyone!

FWIW, I usually cook the rice separately, butter it, then pack it into a ring mold, then unmold it on a platter and put the beans in the middle.

That sounds like a nice presentation, carolb. This time I broke down and bought the "fresh" black-eyed peas. I'm hoping I can wash off most of the eternifying fluid.

Good idea using a ring mold. I don't have one but can mock one using a cake pan with a bowl in the middle. (if I can find a cake pan or a pie pan). Prep the grain ahead and re-heat in the steam oven.

I've been using the frozen field peas with snaps and I like them the best. Saute diced ham, onion, garlic, celery, green peppers, then add salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes. Add peas and ham bone, just cover with water, turn down after it starts simmering and cook until tender. Serve over rice. I always make a big pot of collards and a big pan of cornbread and that is it.

I just went everywhere for Tasso ham, everywhere, no luck. But I did find ONE bag of black-eyed peas. Instructions on the bag do not call for soaking. Coupled with some comments above I'm thinking I won't?

No, you won't need to soak them. I cooked a bag today that had been laying in the pantry for a year or two. I didn't time how long it took to cook them--was busy making broccoli cheese soup--but I'm gonna' guess that it took a couple of hours. That's with old beans, frozen ham broth & ham in the pot with 'em and on the lowest simmer burner on the Wolf gas burner.

IME, lentils, black-eyed peas & split peas don't need to be presoaked. All cook up quickly enough without. Esp. since the mercury outdoors never went north of zero here today (or yesterday, or tomorrow....), I was fine with having something simmering on the stove-top.

That looks great, cathyinpa!

Here are mine. With smoked pork shank, andouille, shrimp. I've never had black-eyed peas before but I think I cooked them right.

ETA - 'scuse me for going OT with my BEP's!

Well I made mine, but didn't get to do any kind of presentation, because my sister, who is in town w/ her family this week, wound up going to the ER w/ breathing problems and found out she has the flu (which we surmised, but she was in denial), so our planned NYD dinner got cancelled, & hubby & I babysat my 6 yr old niece while they were @ the hospital.

Just finished eating 2 heaping bowlsful and it was very yummy. I didn't have any smoked meat, but used chipotle for the smoked flavor & hubby said it's the best I've made yet = )

Happy 2018, everybody!

I make very simple BEPs, and I do not have rice on New Year's Day. I did make cornbread, however, plus I sautéed collard greens with onion, and added some sausage to that. I boiled the sausage with the BEPs and then removed it to add to the collard greens. I boiled the peas in chicken broth, but that's about all I did to them. I use fresh (i.e. not dried) BEPs and boil them for 10-15 minutes.

FOAS, that looks scrumptious. I'm sure it was a whole lot better than plain ol' hoppin' john!

Carolb, I hope your sister is okay. The flu this is year is extremely vicious.

Lars, that sounds good, too.

Mine turned out pretty well, but I'm not entirely sure what I did, since a very good friend was bidding at an important auction today and I kept getting distracted by what was going on. I know they sat on Warm for almost 40 minutes after I cooked them, so they were nice and dry by the time we ate. I think I cooked them for 15 minutes, then threw in the rice and let them cook together on a very low setting.

I must admit that BEP are not high on my list of faves, no matter how they are prepared. I'd much rather have mujaddara or pigeon peas, but tradition, tradition. Once we finish the pot, that's it for this year.

Shrimp I would have preferred but we had a seafood feast NewYearsEve.

Not pretty but good.

How did you get those to look like fish???

@FOAS -- Wow, I never thought of andouille. That looks great.

@carol_b_wfl -- I, too, hope your sister is on the mend. Flu supposed to be bad this year. I'm glad that you made and had the "best" batch ever -- pure comfort. I'm also glad you were available to take care of your niece -- what peace of mind for your sister during that stress!

@Lars -- cornbread? Gosh, that would have been perfect. And I now have a hankering for it.

@writersblock -- I'm so glad you started this thread. To see the tried and true, variations and different methods makes a good thread:) BEPs may not be high on your list, but your good luck is covered (tradition! tradition!). Pigeon peas are now intriguing me. PS My dad kind of made his normal "casserole" of everything so he can get it on his spoon/fork. The Hopping John and the traditional pork and sauerkraut conglomeration horrified my mom (as usual) but I love it! He was a happy camper.

@sleevendog -- I'll take good over pretty any day, but I think that looks pretty too!

Happy New Year.

Well, sleevendog, I wouldn't say that doesn't look pretty. I know that food that looks like food rather than like franken-styled food is out of fashion at the moment, but that looks fine to me!

Cathyinpa, I doubt they grow up your way, but pigeon peas are a staple in the islands and Puerto Rico and they grow very well in FL. Very pretty plant, too-- a large, tree-like bush that gets covered with yellow and red flowers before the peas arrive. It's the first thing I'd plant if I had any un-poisoned ground to work with. Pigeon peas and rice has many yummy variations from all over the Caribbean. They're also known as Gungu or Gandules. I think I like Jamaican-style the best.

Pic of the flowers, stolen from here:

What a welcome breath of beauty, writersblock! Enjoyed the newsletter too. We're battening down the hatches in 0 degree temps today. As soon as we get rid of some of these leftovers and I get a spark of joy back in my cooking, I'm going to ask at some of my grocery haunts to see what I discover.

Enjoyed this thread/everyone's creative and informative contributions.

Good luck with the weather, Cathy (and everyone else)! Alas, I checked and zone 9 is as far north as pigeon peas will grow reliably. But you might be able to grow them as a summer annual. Our local groceries always have the peas in the frozen veggie section, so you might be able to find them frozen or dried in a Latin or Islands market if you have any up your way.

Stay warm!