Easy Hoppin' John Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional Hoppin John? ›

Hoppin' John, also known as Carolina peas and rice, is a peas and rice dish served in the Southern United States. It is made with cowpeas, mainly, black-eyed peas and Sea Island red peas in the Sea Islands and iron and clay peas in the Southeast US, and rice, chopped onion, and sliced bacon, seasoned with salt.

What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.

A staple of the Southern table, Hoppin' John is famously eaten on New Year's Day, but is just as good any other day as well. This version features tender and earthy field peas cooked with fluffy rice and rich and smoky ham hocks.

You'll need at least six hours to rehydrate the black-eyed peas. Place them in a large bowl and add three cups of water for every one cup of peas. Cover, place in the refrigerator, and let the beans soak for six hours or overnight.

hoppin' John was, and still is, often eaten with collard greens, which can resemble paper money, and “golden” cornbread. The peas themselves represent coins. Some families boost the potential of their hoppin' John by placing a penny underneath the dishes—or adding extra pork, which is thought to bring more luck.

There are varying stories about how the name 'Hoppin' John' originated for the meal. For example, some stories tell about a man name John who sold field peas in the streets of Charleston. Others mention enslaved children hopping around a table, enjoying their meal of cooked rice.

The Best Beans for Classic Hoppin' John

While black-eyed peas are now commonly used in most Hoppin' John recipes, that has not always been the case. Earlier recipes dating back to the 1800s called for cowpeas, red peas, or field peas.

The crop was brought by enslaved Africans in the 1600s as they were transported to the Americas. West Africans have long considered black-eyed peas a good luck charm that warded off evil spirits, and they are often served on holidays and birthdays.

The bigger difference is in how they taste. The purple hulls are far more delicate than the black-eyes; they're creamier, sweeter, and lack the sometimes chalky texture you get with the other. They are the du Puy to the plain old green French lentil. They're more refined — and they're slightly more expensive.

For many Southerners, New Year's Day means we're eating Hoppin' John with a side of collard greens and cornbread. A bowlful of this classic recipe filled with black-eyed peas, Carolina Gold rice, and ham hock (or bacon) ensures we kick off the year with a promise of good fortune.

Is Hoppin John Gullah? ›

A highlight on the culinary map of the Palmetto State is Hoppin' John. Derived from the Gullah culture, this dish is as legendary as it is savory. Locally sourced ingredients, flavorful seasonings and spices and a certain level of flare are all part of what makes this a classic Southern dish.

The African roots of the dish can be traced to the antebellum rice culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where peas and rice have been cooked together for centuries. Tradition dictates that a side of collard greens representing paper money be served with Hoppin' John to ensure prosperity in the coming year.

Not soaking the black-eyed peas can slightly impact the texture, as they can take longer to cook and may be slightly firmer compared to soaked ones. However, the taste will remain similar whether you soak them or not.

It is recommended to rinse canned black-eyed peas before cooking. Rinsing helps remove any excess sodium or brine that may be present from the canning process. Additionally, rinsing can help reduce the gas-producing carbohydrates that can cause discomfort.

Have you ever asked yourself the question whether you should soak or not soak when preparing beans? The black-eyed pea, which is also known as a cowpea, doesn't necessarily need to be soaked. But if you find yourself short on time, soaking black-eyed peas can make a true difference in regards to cooking time.

Hoppin' John is a Southern dish made with black-eyed peas, rice, and pork (usually bacon, but sometimes ham hock). It usually features an onion and other seasonings for flavor. Hoppin' John can be eaten throughout the year, but it's especially common on New Year's Day.

Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health. In some areas, actual values are assigned with the black-eyed peas representing pennies or up to a dollar each and the greens representing anywhere from one to a thousand dollars.

The ingredients in Hoppin' John have symbolic importance, and eating this dish on New Year's Day portends good fortune in the new year: black-eyed peas represent coins. collard greens represent greenbacks (dollars), or cash. corn bread represents gold.