Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 ham hocks or ham bone
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, sauté onion in butter until onion is translucent and tender. Add 4 cups water, ham hocks, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and peas to pot.

2. 2

   Bring to a slight boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and gently simmer over low heat for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Remove ham hocks and trim off ham; discarding bones, cartilage and skin. Add ham pieces back to peas and stir. Add more salt to taste then simmer peas on low for one additional hour. If you have more liquid than you’d like cook the last hour with the pot uncovered. I like mine to be very thick and saucy, not watery.

4. 4

   I usually serve mine over white rice with some fresh diced onion sprinkled on top but you can serve them on their own as well.