Saturday, December 28, 2013

Hoppin' John

Has anybody heard of this dutch oven food before?   Over at Every Day Dutch Oven, there is a recipe that looks to me like something I'm absolutely going to do this weekend, especially as the wife has a cold and doesn't really want to cook. 

This one has a history behind it, described thusly:


     "Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck in the coming year is a Southern tradition.  As luck would have it, during the Civil War when Sherman raided the Confederate Army's food stores, his men left behind the salt pork and dried peas, just enough food for the Southern soldiers to survive the winter.  For the ultimate in good fortune, one must eat exactly 365 black-eyed peas, one for each day of the New Year."

Well, I'm likely to add a bit of garlic, a spot or two of Yucateco Sauce, and to eat more than 365 black eyed peas, for sure.  

Check out how tasty this looks.





9 comments:

  1. I think that personally, I'd substitute pinto beans (previously soaked to make them soft) for black eye'd peas. It would mean that I'd have gas all year - no doubt - but I prefer the taste.

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  2. I'm going to the store today to get the fixin's, and I'll let you know how it turns out.

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  3. Hoppin' John is good, but we just cook Black Eyed peas with Smithfield ham with some of the fat off of it for flavor. That's all I eat for about a week staring New Year's Day. :)

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    1. Brock, I couldn't wait and made it tonight. It was really good comfort food, and my wife told me I'd be making it again. Next time I think I'll fry some bacon too, cut it up and add it along with the sausage. If my wife has her way, next time will be tomorrow.

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    2. Do y'all have the old country, salty hams there?

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    3. Honey baked hams are the big thing, and they are more sweet than salty. I'll have to sniff around the internet to see what I can find. Any suggestions?

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    4. My sister sends me the first one below cooked each Christmas. Below that is the same thing, but with the bone in.

      http://www.smithfieldhams.com/product/454/genuine-smithfield-ham

      http://www.smithfieldhams.com/product/453/genuine-smithfield-ham

      Make sure you can see through the slices.

      PLEASE NOTE these hams have been dry cured with SALT and must be sliced paper thin to enjoy the full country flavor.

      If you want to spend less, you could order slices below.

      http://www.smithfieldhams.com/category/ham-slices

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