Slow-Cooked Southern Hoppin’ John
This slow-cooked Hoppin’ John is cozy, flavorful, and unbelievably easy. Tender black-eyed peas simmer with smoky ham hock, peppers, and warm spices until everything becomes rich, hearty, and perfect for spooning over fluffy white rice.
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or bacon drippings
- 1 smoked ham hock about 1 lb
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups dried black-eyed peas rinsed and sorted
- 4 cups chicken broth plus extra if needed
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 green onions sliced (for garnish)
- Cooked long-grain white rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil or bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ham hock and sear for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and fragrant.
- In the crockpot, add the black-eyed peas first. Layer in the diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sprinkle the smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper evenly over the top. Pour in the chicken broth and give everything a good stir to mix. Nestle the seared ham hock into the center of the mixture.
- Cover and cook on Low for 7–8 hours or High for 4–5 hours, until the peas are tender and the ham pulls easily from the bone.
- Remove the ham hock, shred off any tender meat, discarding the bone and excess fat, and return the meat to the crockpot. Stir to mix.
- Serve the Hoppin’ John over warm cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions before serving.