Hoppin' John

Name: Hoppin' John
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: southern
Ingredients: 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, picked over for stones, rinsed, soaked in water overnight, and drained; 3/4 pound salt pork or bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups chicken stock, store-bought or homemade; 1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) ham (2 1/2 ounces); 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes; Fine salt and black pepper; 1 cup long-grain rice

Recipe from Toni Tipton-Martin

Adapted by Kayla Stewart

Updated Dec. 5, 2022

Hoppin' John — Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Rating: 4(2,068)
Comments: Read comments

In her cookbook, “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking,” Toni Tipton-Martin writes about the Carolina lowcountry tradition of the dish Hoppin’ John, as recorded in the “Penn School & Sea Islands Heritage Cookbook.” The dish was described as brown field peas cooked with rice to be eaten for good luck throughout the year. In African American communities, the tradition of eating rice and cowpeas dates to a celebration on Dec. 31, 1862, Freedom’s Eve. On that day, enslaved Africans congregated in churches in the south, eager to hear the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had set them free. The tradition of eating peas and rice for the new year is now deeply held across cultures throughout the United States and ties to centuries-old folklore that might just lead to better health, prosperity and maybe, just maybe, a bit more luck. —Kayla Stewart

Featured in: Tracing the Origins of a Black American New Year’s Ritual

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

1pound dried black-eyed peas, picked over for stones, rinsed, soaked in water overnight, and drained
¾pound salt pork or bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice
1small onion, chopped
2large garlic cloves, minced
6cups chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
½cup diced (¼-inch) ham (2½ ounces)
½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Fine salt and black pepper
1cup long-grain rice

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Soak the black-eyed peas in cold water overnight, then drain when ready to cook.
Step 2
In a large saucepan, cook the salt pork over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until just translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, drained black-eyed peas, ham, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until tender, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Taste and season with more salt as desired. Stir in the rice. Cover and return the pot to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5

2,068 user ratings

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Comments

Martha3 years ago

There’s no reason why hoppin’ john can’t be vegetarian. Use vegetable stock and season with some smoked paprika. Black eyed peas from Ranch Gordo are the bean of choice in my house for hoppin’ john.

Mary from Terry, MS3 years ago

No need to add fake vegetarian/vegan "meat" - just saute some onion, garlic and chili pepper flakes in olive oil before you add the peas and water/vegetable stock. Poor folks - White and Black - often cook dried beans or peas without meat because they cannot afford it, not because they abhor meat. Dried beans or peas cooked without any meat is a staple of Mexico as well.

Bea3 years ago

My southern mother made black-eyed peas, ham, mustard greens and corn bread religiously every New Year’s Day. After her six kids were grown, she called each of us to make sure we’d had a bite of each to insure robust health, prosperity and good fortune throughout the year. I make a version of this meal every January 1st for my family and though my mother has been gone for twenty years, I’ll anticipate hearing the phone ring all day long.

Angus1 month ago

I make this vegan by using no chicken base, sautéing onions in tbsp of olive oil, adding smoked paprika, a bit of liquid smoke and subbing 2 cups kale or spinach for the ham. It’s delicious

Lady5 months ago

Cooked the rice separately following the comments. Used Jasmin rice instead. Then combined them on the plate and it was DELICIOUS! Even better the next day. Served it with a side of corn pone (cornbread if you prefer). The ancestors were proud!

quinn5 months ago

i had never made beans and rice together in the same pot until this dish. totally awesome this way. i made it veg, also easy and no prob (add some smokey paprika, cumin & celery seed). i served mine with crunchy romaine leaves drizzled in olive oil and lemon. i used them like boats and the tangy crunch mixed with the amazing beans and rice was awesome. hoppin john tacos is exactly the 2025 energy i need.

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