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Well now, you tuned in to the flavor frequency of your guy Marwin, servin' up some soulful goodness straight from that Lowcountry beat — Hoppin’ John, baby!
This ain't just rice and black-eyed peas, no sir. This is a one-pot mega mix of smokiness and soul, built slow and low with tender smoked turkey necks that bring that deep-down, bone-hugging flavor. Simmered to perfection in just over an hour, this dish gives you that “what’s hearty and hits like a killer groove?”—and it answers back with bass.
Beats and Eats (Music to pair with Southern hoppin John)
Now drop the needle on Boogie Down Productions' “Jack of Spades,” 'cause just like the track, this recipe’s got rhythm, depth, and boldness—an unexpected smoothness with a streetwise edge.
Want to switch it up? Swap out the turkey necks for a ham hock flip that still kicks flavor like KRS-One spits knowledge. A splash of apple cider vinegar right at the end wakes it all up, makes the black-eyed peas pop like a hi-hat in a hard-hitting verse. And unless you got some fresh ones, you'll want to soak those dried black eyed peas.
Pair this with collard greens with smoked turkey, skillet hot water cornbread, and deep fried cornish hen. That smoky turkey, earthy peas, and seasoned rice blend together like a classic loop—each bite richer, deeper, and more flavorful than the last.
Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas fresh can be substituted
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large smoked turkey wings diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 1 bell pepper yellow, orange, red, or green, diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- If using dried black-eyed peas, put them in a large pot and cover with about 4 inches of water. Soak the peas overnight, then drain the water (reserve 2 cups of the liquid for later) and rinse. If you're pressed for time, boil the peas for 2-3 minutes, remove pot from heat and let soak for an hour.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the smoked turkey and sauce for 2 minutes per side. Remove the wings and set aside.
- Add onion, peppers, celery and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add a pinch or two of the seasoning to the vegetables as you saute.
- Add the spices and cook until the entire mixture is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and reserved water, and drop in the bay leaves. Add the turkey wings back to the pot along with more seasoning and the fresh thyme sprigs.
- Add the peas to the pot and simmer until the peas are very soft, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Taste for seasonings, and add more if desired. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then transfer the black-eyed peas to a serving bowl. Serve with rice.
Notes
- If using dried black-eyed peas, put them in a large pot and cover with about 4 inches of water. Soak the peas overnight, then drain the water and rinse. If you're pressed for time, boil the peas for 2-3 minutes, remove the pot from heat and let soak for an hour.
- When sauteing the vegetables, add the spices and cook until the entire mixture is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes.
- Add the prepared peas to the pot and simmer until the peas are very soft, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- For more flavor reserve 1-2 cups of the soaking liquid and add back to broth when cooking.
- If you prefer to make this a true one-pot dish add a bit more stock or water for the rice to cook fully