Black Eyed Peas Recipe with Bacon - The Seasoned Mom (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don t soak black-eyed peas before cooking? ›

Do black eyed peas need to soak? It's really not necessary. Dry black eyed peas cook in about an hour without soaking, which is perfectly reasonable. If you cook them in the pressure cooker, they'll cook even faster!

According to The New York Times, soaked beans cook faster and are easier to digest. Adding salt to the brine speeds up cooking even more, since the salt breaks down the bean's tough skin.

If you're using canned black-eyed peas, simply rinse them in a colander to remove any liquid from the can as well as excess salt. Then you're good to go!

The best dishes to serve with black eyed peas are butter chicken, chicken enchiladas, pineapple chicken, Calrose rice, cauliflower rice, Hawaiian beef stew, beef vindaloo, and grilled chicken. People also love them with mashed sweet potatoes, brown gravy meatloaf, roasted pumpkin, roast turkey, and paprika chicken.

The question is, "How long a soak is too long?" It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy.

Soaked black eyed peas take about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours to cook, depending on the age of the beans, how long they were soaked for and how soft you prefer them. If you're starting with frozen black eyed peas, microwave until thawed before adding them to your dish.

Once the peas are soaked, you'll need to drain them and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. This helps to further tenderize the peas and adds a bit of flavor.

Most beans are soaked in cold water for several hours, but black-eyed peas can be soaked in hot water to reduce the amount of time it takes.

If you are cooking black-eyed peas on the stovetop, soaking them overnight will definitely save you some cooking time. Soaking beans overnight and discarding the water does remove some flatulence-causing compounds, and many people find that soaked beans are easier to digest.

Once your black-eyed peas are tender, you can season them up and add any extras you want. Add some spinach or other greens during the last 5 minutes or so and season with some salt, pepper, and any other favorite seasonings!

Why do African American eat black-eyed peas? ›

The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. Originally they were used as food for livestock and later as a food staple for enslaved people in the South.

According to legendary Southern food researcher John Egerton's Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a "mystical and mythical power to bring good luck."1 As for collard greens, they're green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year.

The soluble fiber in black eyed peas slows digestion, which helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of blood sugar spikes. This lowered risk makes black eyed peas a healthy food choice for people with diabetes.

Rinse the split peas after soaking until the water runs clear.

If you've soaked your beans for at least 12 hours and they still won't soften, the reason may be that the soaking water was hard. Chlorinated water is another culprit. If your water source is either hard or chlorinated, keep a large jug of purified water in the kitchen for just this use.

If you're the impatient, bean-hungry type, you can cook your beans from dry without any soaking at all. Here's the thing: Beans that have not been soaked ahead of time will always take longer to cook, but they will, indeed, cook.

Salt the soaking water well; it should taste pleasantly salty. Then let stand at room temperature for at least four and up to eight hours. If soaking for longer than eight hours, move the beans to the refrigerator to prevent them from fermenting. Don't soak the beans any longer than 24 hours.

If you want to thicken the black eyed pea soup/stew, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and about a half cup or so of the bean liquid. Slowly pour in small amounts and stir in the hot pot until you achieve the best consistency.

For some people, black-eyed peas may cause stomach pain, gas, and bloating due to their content of raffinose, a type of fiber that can contribute to digestive issues ( 17 ). Soaking and cooking dried beans can reduce the content of raffinose and make them much easier to digest ( 17 ).

Step 1In a large bowl, combine peas and baking soda and add water to cover by at least 4". Cover and let soak for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Once fully hydrated, rinse beans and drain completely.

What do you add to beans to prevent gas? ›

To cut down on the gassy properties, you can add a little baking soda to your recipe. The baking soda helps break down some of the beans' natural gas-making sugars.

Depending on the type of bean you are using, the coloration of the bean liquid may cause a coloration change you don't want for your dish. The bean liquid may contain a small amount extra sodium that you may not want in your recipe as well. Ultimately, the choice to drain or not is mostly personal preference.

Usually, you only use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to a pound of beans. The best way to reduce the problem is simply to eat more beans. People who eat beans regularly have the least trouble digesting them.

Black-eyed peas can be eaten raw — like green peas or edamame — or dried and used for cooking, often after soaking to reduce cooking time.

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

Black-eyed peas are rich in nutrients, including vitamin A, folate, manganese, and fiber. These nutrients may help lower blood pressure, support digestion, maintain skin health, and more.

Even if at first they make us gassy, beans are so health-promoting that we should experiment with ways to keep them in our diet at all costs. Lentils, split peas and canned beans tend to be less gas-producing.

For the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. That's a lot of peas! Some Southerners add a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving, and the person whose bowl contains the coin receives the best luck for the New Year.

First is the embryo. Beans are seeds that contain parts needed for growth and reproduction. If you split a bean in half, you will see a tiny white, elongated piece inside. Soaking your beans overnight gives this embryo a chance to swell, making it even easier to confuse with a worm in the cooked end product.

You can serve these slow simmered black eyed peas and greens almost like a thick soup with a piece of crusty bread for dipping, or with some cooked rice scooped into the same bowl to soak up all the delicious liquid. Or, keep it simple and just crumble some salting crackers into your bowl. This is easy food.

Why did slaves eat collard greens? ›

The evidence we gath ered in Europe, West Africa, and the South indicates that African people, more than Europeans, sought dark leafy greens for their diet. Southern U.S. forests lacked such plants, so slaves adopted collards from their masters' gardens.

Called niébé in parts of the Sahel, the black-eyed peas are dubbed “miracle peas,” or “poor man's meat” in most of sub-Saharan Africa because of their high nutritive value and their ability to grow in harsh conditions.

The choice of greens, usually cooked with pork for flavor, comes from the perception among Black Americans that folded collard greens look like paper money, said Adrian Miller, an author and food scholar. Eating greens on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day is believed to bring about greater financial prosperity.

According to Southern lore, you will have good luck for the entire year if you have the traditional New Year's Day supper. In the South, that means a meal of collard greens, hoppin' John, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and pot likker soup.

The southern pea, Vigna unguiculata, has its own lexicon of names. Yankees call it the cowpea, a name never heard south of the lilac–crape myrtle line. Southerners also know it as the black-eyed-pea, the pink eye pea, the purple hull pea, the cream pea or the crowder.

Mexican Black Eyed Peas and Greens- hearty black eyed peas are infused with Mexican-inspired spices and served with healthy greens for good luck and fortune in the new year!

Is it Necessary to Soak Green Peas? You can cook dried green peas without soaking them in liquid, but they will take far longer to cook. Unsoaked green split peas will take approximately 35-45 minutes; unsoaked whole green peas take up to 75 minutes to cook.

Place peas in a Dutch oven; cover with cold water 2 inches above peas. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain peas, and rinse thoroughly.

Only soak seeds for about eight to 12-hours and no more than 24-hours. Over-soaking them could cause them to decompose. When removing the peas, discard any that have floated to the top of the water – these are not viable and shouldn't be planted.

If you forgot to soak your beans the night before you plan to cook them, the hot soak method can come to the rescue. Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil and boil for three minutes. Remove them from the heat and let them soak in the hot water for an hour. Then drain, rinse, add fresh water and cook.

Do you soak dried peas in hot or cold water? ›

- Soak in cold water until peas are completely reconstituted, with all wrinkles removed. - If you use soda or pea steeping tablets to soften the pea skin, to allow quicker water uptake, dissolve the measure in hot water and stir into cold water mass.

Cover and let soak for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Step 2 Drain beans and rinse under cold water. In a large pot over medium heat add beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, 45 minutes or until beans are tender.

Soaking is not essential for black-eyed peas, but cooking time can be shortened if they get a quick soak in hot water (as opposed to a longer one in cold water, like other beans). Place dried peas in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to stand for 60-90 minutes.

As dried beans age, the pores through which the water enters tend to close, and the outer coating may change, too. If water can't get into the bean, they won't soften no matter how long you cook them.

Beans soaked longer than 12 hours can absorb too much water and lose their characteristic texture and flavor. If you plan to cook beans for dinner and you want to use the long-soak method, start soaking in the morning. To cook beans for lunch, you'll have to soak them overnight.

Add ajwain or epazote – both of these spices will decrease gas production – I swear by the epazote! Just add about a tablespoon to a large pot of beans during the cooking process. You can also add ginger or cumin as these spices help with digestion. Chew – eat slowly and chew well each bite.

To cut down on the gassy properties, you can add a little baking soda to your recipe. The baking soda helps break down some of the beans' natural gas-making sugars. I tested this while fixing one of my favorite slow cooker recipes: red beans and sausage.