A traditional Southern New Year’s Day would not be complete without a big pot of black-eyed peas, collards, and ham hocks—served with a steaming hunk of buttered cornbread with honey.

Not a pea, but a bean that originated in Africa, the black-eyed pea is also called a cowpea.  It’s a smallish legume, off-white with a signature black spot with a little white speck (the eye!).  Cook it like any other bean, taking into account its small size. You can find these canned, but the big pot simmering on your stove for hours on New Year’s Day is part of the whole experience.

Legend has it that the beans bring good luck, the collards bring wealth (because they’re green like US paper currency), and the ham hock brings progress and success (because pigs root walking forward).  Pair this up with some yummy cornbread (symbolizing gold), and you are set up nicely for the New Year.  Considering the plight of the US Dollar as we enter 2026, the collards might just be wishful thinking. 

Ingredients

• ¼ C bacon fat (or other healthy fat of your choice)
• 1 medium onion, diced large
• 1 lb dry black-eyed peas
• 6-8 large collard leaves, rough chopped or (this is what I did) 2 C of home canned collards
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 1+ lbs)
• 3 slices thick bacon or some salt pork (about ½ C chopped)
• 1 T red chile flakes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper
• 5 cloves crushed garlic

Method

• Beginning the night prior:  soak your beans in enough water to cover.
• Add 4 C of water to an instantpot/pressure cooker and pressure cook the ham hock and bacon/salt pork for 40 minutes.  (You could also do this on the stovetop, but it will likely take 2 hours.)  You can do this the night before or the day of.  SAVE the cooking liquid.
• The next day: in a large Dutch oven, sauté your onions in the bacon fat.  Add garlic after onions are softened and lightly cook.
• Add the chopped collards.  If fresh, wait for them to collapse and begin to cook down.
• Drain and rinse beans.  Add beans to the onion/collard/garlic mixture.
• Add 4 C of the broth from the ham hock project.
• Add 2 C of chicken stock.
• The beans should be just covered with liquid.  (If not, add more broth.)
• Shred or chop up the ham hock/bacon/salt pork and add to the Dutch oven with everything else.
• Heat to a low/medium simmer and cover.  Stir every 15 minutes or so.  It will likely need to cook for 2 hours.
• It is done when the beans are soft but not obliterated.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and pepper flakes. 

You can add more broth if you like it soupier.  This is even better the second day.

Serve with homemade cornbread.  I did a cheesy/jalapeno bread for this meal.

Happy New Year!

Stay briny,

–Stacey