Southern Style Black-eyed peas
Texans, Blackeyed Peas and New Year’s are pretty much synonymous.
Blackeyed Peas are eaten in Texas (and many other southern states) on New Year’s Day because they are believed to bring prosperity for the coming year. This superstition tradition is so firmly ingrained in us Texans that even Blackeyed pea haters like my husband will eat Blackeyed Peas on New Year’s Day.
The reason for the Blackeyed Peas for you NON~Texans (Non~ Southerners) when the peas are soaked and then cooked, they swell which represents prosperity and we eat greens (collard and cabbage.. traditionally) because they are GREEN and they resemble paper currency = wealth.
I happen to love Blackeyed Peas and sharing my favorite Southern Dishes with y’all. So, if you want to have some Texas Style Blackeyed Peas and a pro$perous 2010… get thee to the store and make sure you take this recipe with you!
Southern Style Blackeyed Peas
- 3 C dried blackeyed peas
- 1/2 lb salt pork, cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 jalapenos (you can use less), chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 C water for cooking
- Enough water to cover the beans, for soaking
- salt and pepper to taste
- Soak the dried beans in enough water to cover them for at least 3 hours. ( preferably overnight)
- Chop the jalapenos, onions and salt pork
4. When the peas are ready, drain them and place them in a large pot with your jalapenos, onions and salt pork. Add 5 Cups of water and bring to a boil.
5. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Serve with collard greens, cabbage or whatever greens represent wealth and prosperity in your area, and some yummy cornbread for soppin’ up all the sauces. NOM NOM.
There isn’t a final picture, yet.. mine are still cooking and my house smells amazing!!
I’d love to hear about your New Year’s Tradition/Superstition Foods.
Do you eat Collard Greens or Cabbage for wealth and luck? What do you HAVE to eat/do on New Year’s?
Random comment here…but you are a great vegetable chopper! I stink at it! lol I must get better!
.-= Jen @ After The Alter´s last blog ..Visiting New Years Past =-.
Feed me grits, feed me black-eyed peas, feed me fried chicken, but do NOT feed me collard greens! 🙂 Mmmm…I LOVE black-eyed peas, and it’s so disappointing that my husband does not. That reminds me, I should be indoctrinating my daughter on proper Southern veggies NOW! 🙂
.-= Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..Watch out for that snowman! =-.
Well I’m a big black eyed pea hater, but you go ahead and enjoy your wealth and prosperity. I’ll sit here and be poor and eat the good food. 😉
.-= Karly´s last blog ..Buttons =-.
Our family has a Spanish NYE superstition tradition. We eat twelve grapes for good luck. One for each month. I usually eat 13 (my lucky number) because I’m especially superstitious. My birthday is on the 13th, so I consider it a LUCKY day.
.-= Sugar Jones´s last blog ..Wrapping It All Up =-.
Oh… forgot to thank you for the Black Eyed Peas recipe!!
.-= Sugar Jones´s last blog ..Wrapping It All Up =-.
Only you could make salt pork look pretty!
My husband makes delicious blackeyed peas, but we never have them on New Year’s Day…maybe we need to start a new tradition! We could use some prosperity up in here!
I love some black eyed peas..but I only eat them when somebody else cooks me some. Should I have my mom mail some to me?
.-= Krystyn´s last blog ..WW-Smiles galore =-.
You have to try this black-eyed pea DIP sometime….it’s delish and even black-eyed pea haters love it!
http://www.puttingthefunindysfunctional.com/2009/10/southern-loving.html
We’re having Black Eyed Peas in Hoppin’ John Soup! It’s marvelous and easy to make!
.-= Shirley´s last blog ..The Last (Not of the Mo-Ricans!) =-.
I grew up in the North, but now live in the South. We eat pork and sauerkraut, and greens.
But my favorite tradition on New Years is one that I grew up with. Each member of the family places a penny on an outside windowsill on New Years Eve: then we will never be truly poor. My mom’s house currently holds about $2.00 in pennies! 😉
We also burn a Bayberry candle from tip to socket…
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Expectations =-.
My mom used to always make Black Eyed Peas and Cabbage for New Year’s. Love me some Black Eyed Peas, however, I’ve never made them with jalapenos–bet that is a super tasty addition!
.-= Phoebe @ Getting Freedom´s last blog ..Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! =-.
I love black eyed peas. I haven’t had them in ages! Must change that soon.
.-= Melanie @ Mel, A Dramatic Mommy´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Christmastime =-.
OK! Hope your comments work correctly. 🙂
Comment to check your comments:)
.-= Krystyn´s last blog ..WW-Smiles galore =-.
I’m a Pittsburgher but now live in Texas. The tradition at home is for pork and sauerkraut, but I loathe sauerkraut (unless it is on a Reuben) and would only eat the tiniest sliver to please my grandmother, lol. So I tend to make Polish kielbasa and haluski (fried cabbage, egg noodles, and onions) to have the “pork and cabbage” effect. However, I love black eyed peas, so if this doesn’t get made for New Year’s it will get tried out on a chilly day.