HHeritage Kitchen

Main Dishes

Black-Eyed Peas with Smoked Turkey

Black-eyed peas are humble and forgiving. Dried peas, aromatics and something smoky give you a pot that eats like a main over rice or a side next to greens.

Jump to Recipe
Bowl of black-eyed peas with smoked turkey and broth

Prep time

15 min

Cook time

1 hr 30 min

Total time

1 hr 45 min

Servings

8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried black-eyed peas
  • 1 lb smoked turkey wings or a ham hock
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups water or chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1

    Soak the peas 4 to 6 hours in cold water if you have time, then drain. For a quick soak, boil 2 minutes and rest covered 1 hour.

  2. 2

    Simmer the smoked meat with the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and broth for 30 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the drained peas and simmer, partly covered, 45 to 60 minutes until creamy.

  4. 4

    Pull the meat off the bone and return it to the pot.

  5. 5

    Season with paprika, pepper and salt. Simmer 5 more minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Heritage Kitchen Tips

  • Mash a ladle of peas against the pot to thicken the broth naturally.
  • Salt at the end so the skins stay tender.

Ingredient substitutions

Dried peas
Three 15-oz cans, drained; reduce simmer to 20 minutes
Smoked turkey
Bacon, andouille or smoked paprika plus soy sauce

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Round out the meal

Complete the meal

Helpful kitchen tool

Soul Food Serving Calculator

Know exactly how much fried chicken, greens, and mac to make — no guessing, no leftovers gone to waste.

Open calculator

Related guide

How Long Should You Soak Black-Eyed Peas?

Overnight, quick soak, or no soak — what each option does to your pot.

Read the guide

Related recipes