Creamy Hoppin John aka Black-eyed Peas and Rice
This Hoppin' John with its smoked turkey, filling rice, black-eyed peas, a medley of savory sautéed vegetables, and the perfect blend of seasonings is a must make for the New Year.
Servings 5 people
Calories 546kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz dried black-eyed peas
- 1 cup onions minced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 green bell pepper or red bell pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth I used Better Than Bouillon
- 2 tbs rice vinegar I used what I had but white vinegar works too
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning more or less for taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder more or less for taste
- 1/2 tsp onion powder more or less for taste
- 1/8 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 jalapeno Only use half of the pepper
- 1 smoked turkey leg
- salt and pepper for taste
- 1 cup white rice Or more if you like a lot of rice. See notes below
Instructions
- Cook one cup of rice. Set aside.
- Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Add the olive oil. Once the pot is hot, add the vegetable. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender.
- Add the chicken broth, seasonings, and black-eyed peas. Stir to combine.
- Next add the turkey leg, bay leaf and jalapeno. Press the pressure cook button and set instant pot timer to 50 minutes. Next, lock the Instant Pot, press the pressure cook button and manual set timer to 50 minutes. Once the cooking cycle has finished and the pot beeps, let it naturally release steam for 15 minutes. Next, turn the steam release knob to vent position to release the remaining steam and pressure. Once the pin drops down, it's now safe to open the lid
- Remove the meat from the bone and place it back into the pot. Hit the saute button and set timer for about 3-4 minutes. Use a fork to smash about half the beans. This will start to thicken the mixture and make it nice and creamy. You can smash more or less depending on your personal preferences but remember that this dish is supposed to be a supple rice dish. It shouldn't be soupy.
- Add more salt and pepper if needed. Fyi, If the black-eyed peas get too thick, you can thin it out with a bit of broth or water. Once you get your desired texture you can turn off the instant pot.
- To serve and for a creamy consistency, add just a small amount of rice to each individual bowl. Top with the beans. Mix to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
This rice is a FAVORITE of mine: California White Calrose Rice.
It holds up well and has a better “bite” than what you'll get with less hearty rice’s. However, you can use what you have laying around in a pinch, though.
Stove-top Instructions
- Soak the black-eyed peas overnight. Rinse and drain. Set to the side.
- Cook one cup of rice, or more if you like a lot of rice.
- Sauté veggies: Add olive oil to a pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the celery and onions Sauté the vegetables for a couple of minutes or until the celery is slightly tender. Next add the garlic. Sauté quickly, just until the garlic is fragrant. Make sure not to burn the garlic.
- Seasonings and meat: Next, add the broth, black eyed peas, vinegar and seasonings. Mix to combine. Add the smoked turkey leg, jalapeno (optional) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over hight heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid for about an hour or until the beans are tender and the meat is falling off the bone stirring occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the pot and checking to make sure there's enough liquids
- Smash beans: Keep water or broth handy just in case you need to add more liquids to the pot. Remove meat from the bones. Use a fork to smash about half the beans as mentioned right above in the instant pot directions. Simmer until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf. Add additional salt and pepper and seasoning if you like. Rice: Place rice into individual bowls and top with the beans and rice. Mix to combine
Serving and storage
Fyi, Add a small amount of rice to each bowl and more of the beans to get the creamy consistency. This dish is even better next day. store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 6 days or freeze up to 90 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 6g | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 1197mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 7mg