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Happy New Year With Hoppin' John!

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    Happy New Year With Hoppin' John!

    The last several years, I've explored several different Hoppin' John recipes. This year, I mostly freelanced, but called on what those earlier batches were like. The choice of pork product is important. I went to the grocery store this year thinking I was looking for smoked ham hocks. But then I found that they had some awesome-looking pork jowl bacon and it was even on sale for just a bit over three bucks for a one pound chunk. I cubed a little more than half the bacon and gave it a hard render. I left it and all the rendered fat (it looks like a lot, but leave it there--it's pure flavor!) in the pot and added chopped veggies: small sweet onion, small green pepper, medium jalapeno pepper, three cloves of garlic and a couple ribs of celery:

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    (Part of the bacon was already in the pot when I remembered to snap this pic).

    Once the veggies were cooked, I added some Kosher salt, lots of freshly ground pepper and some McCormick Cajun seasoning. After the seasonings cooked a bit, I added about a quart and a half of unsalted chicken broth and two 12 ounce "fresh" packages of blackeyed peas:

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    I simmered that about an hour and a half to two hours, until the peas were cooked and the bacon was tender. Since I started this in the morning (to leave time to watch football), I then turned the heat off and let the pot sit on the stove three hours or so.

    For greens, my CSA basket had Brussels sprouts greens that look very much like collards and some really nice spinach:

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    I got the pot back into a simmer and added the chopped greens. I let those go five minutes or so to start wilting and then added a cup and a half of uncooked basmati rice. I decided to add a touch more broth as the rice went in, as the peas really plumped up while sitting. Another 30 minutes or so of simmering got the rice cooked, and the consistency was just what I was shooting for. We always put malt vinegar on this. Definitely my best batch so far.

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    Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2020 to each of you.

    #2
    way to start the year....good luck beans.

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      #3
      Looking good. Thanks for the write up.

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        #4
        I’m the only one in my household that would eat this. I made it every New Years Day when I was single.

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          #5
          Great job, I made some black eyed peas this year, greens too...collard, mustard, turnip. lotsa thick cut smoked bacon...

          Comment


            #6
            I usually make some black eye peas, but this year I was lazy. I have the dried peas though; this may make me get off my behind and cook them.

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              #7
              I swap the bell pepper for a jalapeno, throw in 10-15 thyme sprigs, and use home made pork stock (bones from hams, butts, etc.) I also use sea island red peas from Geechie Boy Mill here in SC (supposedly, its what was used in the original hoppin john in the low country).

              My recipe pretty much is the same as yours, except i add the salt when the peas are cooked, because I think that salt early in the cook can blow them out/make them mushy and I like mine to have a little bite - not much though.

              I am definitely stealing your bacon idea. that will amp it up for sure.

              Comment


                #8
                It looks good. I make a Hoppin’ John Jambalaya every New Year's Day.

                Comment


                • Jim White
                  Jim White commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Yum! While cooking this batch, I was thinking about how good it would be with some shrimp and sausage thrown in. Hope I remember for next year.

                #9
                Happy New Year!

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                  #10
                  Never had this, but there's nothing in it I wouldn't eat. CSA in January. Wow. Nothing like that around here.

                  Comment


                  • Jim White
                    Jim White commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Heh. They actually close down for the worst part of the summer here, nothing survives in that heat and humidity.

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