Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Smoked Ham Hocks (Printable View)

Hearty Southern stew with tender peas, smoky ham, and vegetables in rich broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 smoked ham hocks, approximately 1.5 lbs

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 4 cups canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
07 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth and Seasonings

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
15 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Hot sauce for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - If using dried black-eyed peas, soak overnight in abundant water. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use.
02 - Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ham hocks, prepared black-eyed peas, potatoes, diced tomatoes with juice, broth, bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender and ham is falling from the bone.
06 - Remove ham hocks from pot. Shred meat, discarding skin, bone, and excess fat, then return shredded meat to stew.
07 - Taste and adjust salt as needed. If desired, simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken stew.
08 - Remove bay leaves. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with hot sauce on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ham hocks infuse the entire pot with a deep, smoky richness that you honestly cannot replicate any other way.
  • It's a one-pot meal that tastes like you've been cooking all day, but most of the work is just letting time do the heavy lifting.
  • Naturally gluten-free and packed with protein, so you feel satisfied without that heavy aftermath.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the dried peas overnight, even though it adds a day to your timeline, because it genuinely changes how they cook and taste.
  • The magic happens in those last thirty minutes when you shred the ham meat and stir it back in, so don't rush through the cooking time expecting the same depth of flavor.
03 -
  • Don't be tempted to stir constantly; let the stew do its work undisturbed for at least the first hour so the flavors have time to marry.
  • If your ham hocks are particularly large or fatty, trim some of the exterior fat before adding them to avoid an overly greasy stew.
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