Welcome to a classic Soul Food Sunday with Smokin' & Grillin' with AB! Today we're cooking up Hoppin' Johns, a traditional Southern dish that's packed with flavor and history. Perfect for bringing good luck or just enjoying with family, this dish is a delicious combination of simmering smoked bacon, aromatic vegetables, and black-eyed peas. Let's dive into this hearty recipe and bring some soul to your dinner table!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (instead of water)
- 1 bay leaf
- Seasoning blend (AB's signature blend or your favorite Creole seasoning)
- 1 cup black-eyed peas, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
- Salt and pepper to taste
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 4-6 servings
Equipment:
- Dutch oven
- Measuring cup
- Cutting board
- Knife
Instructions:
1. Place your Dutch oven on medium heat. Once it's warmed up, add the bacon pieces. Don't worry about adding oil — the bacon will render its own fat.
2. Cook the bacon until it just begins to crisp, stirring occasionally. You want to extract that delicious fat, which is the base of our flavors.
3. Once the bacon is slightly crispy, transfer it to a paper plate lined with a napkin to drain, leaving the bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
4. In the bacon fat, sauté your green onions, celery, and bell pepper. This will start to pick up the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. As you're stirring your veggies, scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with the edge of your spoon to lift those tasty bits. That's gold for flavor.
6. Soon, the vegetables will start to soften. Keep an eye out for that, as it's a sign that we're ready for the next step.
7. Add your pre-soaked black-eyed peas to the Dutch oven, along with your bay leaf and seasoning blend.
8. Pour in two cups of chicken or vegetable broth, making sure it covers the peas. This will add more depth of flavor to the Hoppin' Johns than using plain water.
9. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the peas are tender and all the flavors have melded beautifully.
10. Once the peas are cooked to perfection, throw the bacon back in, stir everything together, and adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
11. Serve hot and enjoy your Soul Food Sunday with this amazing Hoppin' John recipe.
Cooking Tips:
For an even deeper taste, let the Hoppin' Johns rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving, allowing all the ingredients to absorb the juices and seasoning thoroughly.
Recipe attribution:
Smokin' & Grillin' with AB
For more delicious recipes and cooking tips, be sure to check out AB's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@SmokinandGrillinwithAB.
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