This is a delicious recipe for black eyed peas. Even if you think you don’t like black eyed peas, you are going to like these. They are full of flavor, and perfect for any occasion, including A New Year’s celebration. When I was a kid, we only had black eyed peas that were green. We planted them in the garden, and ate them fresh. They were delicious. However, on New Year’s Day, my mother thought we had to have the white black eyed peas like everyone else, so she bought canned black eyed peas. I absolutely loathed them. I could barely choke down a couple on New Year’s Day. So, when it was my time to make the beans, I tried them from dried. I found they aren’t much better unless they have some help from lots of flavorful ingredients. I experimented with different flavors, and researched different recipes, until I got a recipe for black eyed peas that even my husband would eat. Not only will my husband eat them, but he actually loves them. This full flavor recipe is seasoned with smoky bacon and spicy picante sauce. I used a medium picante sauce, you could also use a mild or hot picante. For an even milder flavor, use a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, and add 1/2 green pepper, diced. You can easily make this in a crock pot or dutch oven. I always use my crock pot for beans, so these were made in the crock pot on New Year’s Day. The instructions are included below.
Yield: Serves 4
1 package, 16 oz black eyed peas
1/2 lb smoky bacon, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cups picante sauce
3 cups water
Soak the beans overnight in the water. Cook bacon until crisp. Add bacon and the fat to the beans. Add celery, onion, and picante sauce.
Bring the beans to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook beans until they are tender, 45 min to 1 hour.
If using the crock pot, cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender. Or you can also use a dutch oven in a 250 degree oven for 6-8 hours.