Beginning a new year full of gratitude for our blessings, past and future, brings light to each day forward. So with that said, I offer you Instant Pot New Year’s Black-Eyed Peas ! Normally, I made these on the stove after doing an overnight soak. However, I researched how to make them in the Instant Pot which I still wish came out when I had the kids at home. I can see how it would have made coming home and making dinner for a hungry crew after school almost seem effortless. I have not given up on my crock pot, but I am transitioning.

A Few Tidbits of the History of Black-Eyed Peas:

In the United States, black-eyed peas, predominantly grown in the south, are associated with some kind of power to bring good luck throughout the year. You will usually find it served with collard greens( green as in paper bills) to ensure a financially prosperous new year and tomatoes, for health. A side of cornbread, which symbolizes gold(wealth), will accompany the dish.
Black-eyed peas are actually beans! They were brought to the United States from West Africa. There, they were considered to be good luck charms to ward off evil spirits.
The saying, “Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year” , infers that these were consumed by poor people.
On Freedom’s Eve, December 31, 1862, enslaved people in South Carolina gathered in churches as they awaited their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation. Their celebration included Hoppin’ John, collard greens with hog jowls and ribs according to Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking.

Prepping Black-Eyed Peas:

In a colander, rinse off the dried peas with cool water and remove any discolored or other foreign objects. (Evidently, stones sometimes appear in the mix, but I’ve never found any.)
Then, place the black-eyed peas in a large pot of salted water, covering at least 2″ over the surface. ( Mix in 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt.)
Let them sit overnight, or at least 8 hours, for their first soak.

The next morning, you can see they have absorbed some of that water. Drain and rinse them; set aside.

The Veggie Saute:

I love the infusion of color in food! To prep your veggies. slice the small carrots to resemble “coins”. Because I had a few mini-bell peppers, I chose to use them, seeded and diced. Instead of the yellow onion used in most black-eyed peas recipes, I chose to use the red onions of which I have plenty! Some recipes call for celery, but I chose not to add that here.

Preheat the Instant Pot on the saute setting; add the oil and veggies. Saute until they begin to show signs of softening, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Flavoring:

Most southern black-eyed peas recipes call for a smoked ham hock. What is a ham hock, you say? In short it is a knuckle/joint from the foot(trotter) of the pig. Basically, they are used to enhance the flavor of soups, stocks or in this case, a pot of beans. They are mostly comprised of skin, bone, fat and collagen, and are used to infuse a smoky essence. The collagen can assist with the thickening of the broth, and helps to create its creamy texture.

Some people save their ham bone from their Christmas dinner (refrigerate/freeze) to use in place of the ham hock. You could also use some finely chopped ham. The final product may be a little different in taste, but you could add a little more smoked paprika to help make up the flavor difference.

Put a lid on it!

Whisk the smoked paprika into the chicken broth then add to the Instant Pot along with the peas and fresh thyme. Give it a good stir, then lock the lid in place. Set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes. That time will begin to count down once it has preheated.
Allow it to do a NATURAL RELEASE of pressure for about 20 minutes once cook cycle is completed.
Then, do a QUICK RELEASE by venting. Once the vent release drops down, rotate the lid to unlock and open AWAY from you.

Last Minute Add-Ins:

While you are waiting through the cooking cycle, wash and stem the collard greens. I just did a few at a time until I acquired the amount I needed. Layer a few of the leaves at a time and roll them tight. Slice the rolled leaves at about 1/2″ intervals, similar to a basil chiffonade-style, but wider.

Remove the ham hock to a plate and allow it to cool a bit. In the meantime, add the collards along with the diced tomatoes. The broth in the pot is quite hot and will cook those firm collard leaves, softening more as time goes by. Stir.

Pick off any meat you can from the cooled ham hock and add it back into the pot. Stir in to simmer.

At first look, the collard leaves are still a little firm, but that will change the longer it sits in the liquid. The consisitency of the liquid will also change and become more creamy in texture thanks to the combination of the peas, collagen and gelatin from the ham hock.

Yum!

Serve it up with a nice slice or two of cornbread!

Want to try a version of Hoppin’ John? In a small serving dish/ramekin, scoop some in some rice and add in a big ol’ spoonful or two of your black-eyed peas. Season with a little bit more smoked paprika, a dash of hot sauce or cayenne and give it a stir!