One of the south’s New Year’s traditions is cooking Black Eye Peas…
This year I saw a version of a gumbo that incorporated these little gems and more…it has turned out to be one of our favorite dishes!
Lets get started!
I boiled 1/2 this bag per package directions…
simmered about an hour …
Now to make the roux..
in your skillet…add 1 cup oil or 1 cup bacon grease and 1 1/2 cups flour…
You’ll park your little self in front of the stove and continue to stir on low for an hour…
It will turn 50 shades of brown during that hour :))
Next add the onions…celery and peppers..
It will be thick like this..
Add the stock now…
And the bay leaves…the Cajun Seasoning of your choice…
the hot sauce…vinegar and sugar…
let it simmer while you work on the collards…
Cook up about a 1/2 pound of bacon or so…
In another skillet, add the collards and 1 chopped onion…
Add the bacon grease from the cooked bacon…place a lid on the skillet and cook on low, stirring every couple of minutes, until the veggies are soft and wilted…
Next add the chopped bacon…
And the shredded pork…
and add all this to the stock…
And then the black eye peas …
Oh yum!
I made a pot of rice to ladle this delicious gumbo over…
It was voted quite perfect!
PrintNew Years Day Pork, Collards and Black Eye Pea Gumbo
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked dry black eye peas
- 1 bunch collard greens sliced small
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 lb bacon cooked and bacon drippings saved
- 1 1/2 lbs smoked, pulled pork, shredded (not with bbq sauce) I used my leftovers from my Kalua Pork recipe
- For the Roux– 1 cup oil or bacon drippings
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 onions diced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 gallons chicken stock
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 2 TBSP hot sauce
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 TBSP file’ powder
- 2 TBSP Cajun seasoning do your choice
- Hot cooked rice
Instructions
Cook the black eye peas according to package.
Make the roux:
To your skillet, add the oil and flour; cook over medium to low heat until smooth…stirring constantly.
You will need to cook and stir an hour being careful not to scorch or you will have to start over.
After an hour it should be a beautiful dark brown color and you will add the onion, celery and green pepper and garlic.
Stir and cook a few more minutes until the vegetables are soft; the mixture will be thick.
Add the stock to a large pot and stir in the roux and veggies.
Next add the vinegar, sugar, hot sauce , bay leaves, file’ and Cajun seasoning; simmer while preparing the collards.
To another skillet, add the collards and a chopped onion.
Pour the bacon grease from the cooked bacon on the collards and cook on low, stirring every couple of minutes until soft and wilted.
Add the chopped bacon and the shredded pork and pour this mixture to the stock.
Add the black eye peas and stir slightly and simmer 30 minutes.
Ladle over rice in your bowls and enjoy!