Ham Hock and Black-eyed Pea Soup Recipe
Earthy black-eyed peas simmer in a salty, smoky broth made with ham hocks and fragrant herbs. You finish it off with collard greens for a deeply nourishing, wholesome winter soup.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl with Lid
- Stock Pot
- colander
- Fine-mesh Strainer
Ingredients
For the Black-eyed Peas
- 2 cups dry black-eyed peas (picked through)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- warm water (to cover)
For the Ham Stock
- 6 medium smoked ham hocks
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup dry white wine
Finishing the Soup
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 6 medium celery ribs (diced)
- 4 medium carrots (diced)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 bunch collard greens (trimmed and coarsely chopped)
Instructions
Soak and prepare the black-eyed peas.
- Dump the black-eyed peas into a bowl, and then stir in the baking soda. Pour in enough warm water to cover them by about two inches. Cover the bowl tightly and let it sit in a warm spot on your counter for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
- After soaking the black-eyed peas, drain them in a colander. Rinse them well and transfer them to a stock pot or Instant Pot. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by two inches, and then stir in the salt.
- If cooking on the stove, bring them to a boil over medium-high heat and then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve.
- If using a pressure cooker, cover the beans with water by two inches. Stir in the salt, and then pressure cook for 8 minutes, allowing the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Drain the beans, and set them aside.
Prepare the ham stock.
- Place the ham hocks in a stock pot and add enough water to cover them (about 8 cups) by about 2 inches. Pour in the white wine and bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 6 hours.
- Strain the stock and reserve. Transfer the ham hocks to a cutting board, and pull off any useable meat. Cut the meat finely and set it in a bowl.
Preparing the soup.
- Warm the lard in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat. When it melts, stir in the onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle them salt, thyme, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Allow the vegetables to cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened - about 8 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved ham stock. Increase the heat to mediu high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft - about 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked black-eyed peas, reserved ham hock meat, and collard greens. Allow them to cook for 5 to 8 minutes further or until cooked through and hot.
- Serve right away, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
