Carolina Hoppin’ John Recipe

Take a trip to the Carolinas with this very easy to make classic Hoppin’ John recipe that is jam-packed with peas, beans, and thick-cut bacon!

Hoppin’ John is a traditional one-pot African American dish that originated in South Carolina from African slave descendants. It’s a very hearty dish and in its original intent, incredibly simple to prepare.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 2 cups of cowpeas
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1” pieces
• 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
• 4 medium diced celery stalks
• 2 peeled medium diced carrots
• 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 3 cups packed torn collard leaves, stems removed
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Serves 10

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Soaking Time: 12 hours

Procedures:

1. Add the beans to a container and pour in water until it is about 6” over the beans. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 12 hours.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, and set aside.
3. In a large pot add in the bacon over medium-low heat and cook until the bacon is browned but not completely crisp.
4. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain off about ½ of the rendered bacon fat and then turn the heat down to low.
5. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes just to quickly and gently sweat/sauté them.
6. Next, add in the soaked cowpeas, chicken stock, thyme, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and cook for 45-60 minutes over low to medium heat or until soft and tender.
7. Stir in the rice and collards, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for another 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
8. Serve with optional sliced green onions.

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten when it is finished cooking but you can make it up to 3-4 hours before serving by simply keeping it warm over very low heat and cover until ready to serve.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of hoppin’ john to a medium-size pot along with a few tablespoons of chicken stock and heat over low heat until warm. You may also heat it in the microwave.

If you do not want to soak the beans all night you can bring them to a boil with water in a large pot and then let them sit for an hour. You also have the option of not soaking the beans at all.

You do not need to use vinegar at the end of the recipe, but it does provide balance to the overall flavor.

Be sure to not cook the cowpeas rapidly because you want them to keep the shape and not turn into mush.