Hoppin' John
intro
A hearty, smoky Southern staple of tender black-eyed peas, rice, and pork, traditionally served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity.
Ingredients
Steps
Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of neutral cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper, and sauté for 6-7 minutes until vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the rinsed black-eyed peas, smoked pork hock, chicken broth, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and bay leaf to the Dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 45 minutes until peas are tender but hold their shape, not mushy.
Use tongs to carefully remove the smoked pork hock from the pot and transfer it to a wooden cutting board to cool for 5 minutes. While the pork cools, taste the pea and broth mixture, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of the kosher salt, adjusting to taste. Once the pork is cool enough to handle, shred all edible meat off the bone, discarding the skin, excess fat, and bone, then return the shredded pork to the pot.
Stir the rinsed long-grain white rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of kosher salt into the pea and pork mixture, stirring gently to ensure all rice grains are fully submerged in liquid. Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then seal the pot tightly with its lid, reduce heat to the lowest stovetop setting, and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid at any point.
After the 20-minute rice cook time, turn off the stovetop heat and let the Hoppin' John rest, still fully covered, for 10 minutes to allow remaining liquid to absorb and rice grains to set. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then use a fork to gently fluff the rice and peas, evenly distributing the shredded pork throughout the mixture without mashing the peas.
Divide the finished Hoppin' John evenly between 4 warm serving bowls, topping each portion with 1 tablespoon of sliced scallions. Serve immediately, ideally alongside collard greens and cornbread for a traditional New Year’s meal.
Tips
2.If short on prep time, substitute 2 cups (360g) of rinsed, canned black-eyed peas for dried, reducing the initial pea simmer time to 10 minutes before adding rice to the pot.
3.For a vegetarian version, swap the smoked pork hock for 1 teaspoon (2g) of smoked paprika and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth, keeping all other measurements and cook times identical.
OMG I made this for our New Year’s Day family dinner and everyone went back for seconds! I grew up eating Hoppin’ John in Savannah but moved to Washington a few years ago, and this tasted exactly like my grandma’s recipe. SO good, even my picky 7 year old cleaned his plate. I added an extra dash of hot sauce at the end, chef’s kiss.
Made this for meal prep this week and it’s held up so good! I portioned it out with a side of collards and cornbread for lunches all week, and it’s even better on day 3 when the flavors have melded. Super easy to throw together too, didn’t need any fancy ingredients.
I was so nervous to make Hoppin’ John for the first time since I’d only ever had it at a friend’s house in Charleston, but this recipe was so straightforward! Total game changer for my weeknight dinner rotation. The only swap I made was using turkey bacon instead of pork because that’s what I had in the fridge.
Made this on a whim for our Sunday football watch party and it was a hit! Guys were asking for the recipe before halftime. I will say I added a little extra cajun seasoning to give it a tiny kick, and that was chef’s kiss. Don’t skip the rice base, soaks up all that potlikker perfectly. Knocked a star off only because I wish the recipe noted the yield a little clearer – I thought it would feed 6 and it barely fed 4 of my football buddies, so I had to run out for extra sides last minute.
This was just okay for me? I followed the recipe exactly but the peas came out a little mushier than I like, and I wished there was more smoky flavor. Maybe I cooked it too long? I’ll probably give it another go next year but cut the cook time on the peas by 15 minutes.
My kids loved it!!! I’ve been trying to find more bean-based recipes that aren’t chili, and this checked every box. I served it with honey butter cornbread and roasted okra, and even my toddler who hates beans ate two servings. 10/10 will be making this monthly.
Super easy recipe that doesn’t require a ton of active time, which is perfect after a long day on the trails. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken to make it vegetarian, and it still had so much depth of flavor. Great cozy winter meal.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were scraping the dish clean! I was worried no one would know what Hoppin’ John is since most people around here do chili and sauerkraut for New Years, but it was the first empty dish on the table. Will absolutely be making this again.
Took a chance on this even though I live in Arizona and don’t cook a ton of Southern food, and wow. I served it with some pickled okra on top for a little tang, and it was such a nice, hearty meal for our rare cold snap last week. So simple even I couldn’t mess it up!
Game changer!!! I’ve been making Hoppin’ John for years from an old cookbook recipe, but this version is so much more flavorful. The trick of sautéing the onion, celery, and bell pepper until they’re really caramelized before adding the peas? Total game changer, I’ll never skip that step again. SO good.
Made this with leftover ham from Christmas and it was chef’s kiss. I hate wasting leftovers, so this was the perfect way to use up that bone and the extra ham I had sitting in the fridge. Tasted way fancier than it had any right to be, especially for how easy it was.
As someone born and raised in Atlanta, I’m super picky about my Hoppin’ John, and this recipe passes the test. It’s not overcomplicated, doesn’t have weird add-ins that don’t belong, and hits that perfect balance of smoky, savory, and comforting. My grandma would have approved.
I was worried this would be too heavy for my partner who prefers lighter meals, but we both loved it! I made a half batch since there’s only two of us, and served it with a side of arugula salad to lighten it up, and it was the perfect Sunday dinner. Only knocked a star off because I wish there was a note about how much salt to add if you use a salty ham hock – I over salted mine on the first go! Will be doubling the recipe next time for leftovers.
This is my new go-to for weeknights! 10 minutes of prep, then I just let it simmer on the stove while I help the kids with homework, and dinner’s done with no fuss. I add a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles sometimes for a little Texas twist, and it slaps.
Made this for the first time this year for our good luck New Years meal, and I’m hooked! I never thought black-eyed peas could taste this good. The only thing I did different was add a little smoked paprika to amp up the smoke, and it was perfect. Can’t wait to make this again next year.
Wait why did I wait so long to make Hoppin’ John??? This is so cozy, so filling, and so cheap to make – perfect for my grad student budget. I meal prepped 5 servings for under $10 total, which is way cheaper than grabbing takeout every day. 10/10, no notes.
Great easy recipe for when you don’t feel like putting a ton of effort into dinner. I paired it with grilled shrimp for a little extra protein, and it was a perfect light but filling dinner after a day at the beach. Will be making this all winter long.
My whole family loved this! I hosted 12 people for New Years brunch and served this alongside biscuits, scrambled eggs, and fruit, and everyone was raving. Even my cousin who swears he hates Southern food had two helpings. I can’t believe how easy it was to make for a crowd.