How To Cook Field Peas Without Meat

My easy-peasy recipe for Southern Field Peas with its total-flavored bawdy goodness is a true old-fashioned Southern delicacy, and information technology'south as simple to brand as it is tasty.

A bowl full of cooked field peas with snaps.

You might not have ever tasted these flossy morsels infused with incredible flavor from the pork seasoning, depending on where you are from. Only, I hope to change that with this mail.

Here'due south what you will need:

Fresh field peas and snaps for Easy Peasy Southern Field Peas

In add-on to field peas, you volition also need either olive oil or salary grease, onion and garlic, a ham hock or salt pork or leftover ham, and salt and pepper.

Here'southward how to brand them:

Add salary grease or olive oil to a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for well-nigh six minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another infinitesimal. Watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.

Cooking onion bits in a saucepan in olive oil.

Add the ham hock or any pork production you are using, the legumes, h2o, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more than water, if necessary, to cover the legumes by at least an inch and plow the heat upward until it comes to a boil.

Ham hock and peas cooking in liquid in a saucepan.

Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer uncovered for about twenty minutes. Taste a few to check for seasoning and see if the peas are tender, starting at about 15 minutes. If non, continue cooking for a few more minutes.

The fresher legumes are, and the smaller they are, the less time they volition demand to cook.

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

Close up shot of a large bowl of cooked cowpeas.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Exercise you have to soak them?

Fresh field peas do not need to be soaked. If you purchase stale peas, they will need to exist soaked earlier cooking them.

What to serve with them?

My favorite summer meal is fresh field peas, sliced ripe summer tomatoes, and creamed corn, with either a side ofhomemade cornbreadorhoecakes!

They likewise pair beautifully with virtually entreés and make an exciting and delicious side dish perfect for backyard barbecues or potluck suppers.

How to blanch and freeze them:

Fresh peas should be refrigerated and used within a few days of buy. However, they freeze well and, if y'all can't cook them right away, yous should blanch and freeze them.

To flinch, add them to humid water for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately place them in a big bowl of water and ice to stop the cooking process. In one case they are cool, drain and package them in plastic freezer bags or air-tight containers and place them in the freezer.

They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months—no need to thaw earlier cooking them.

What are field peas?

When someone talks about field peas in the South, they refer to any number of cowpea varieties similar Zipper, Crowder, Purple Hull, Pink-Lady, and White Acre.

Cowpeas thrive in our hot, dry, sandy soils, and in the summer, our farmers' markets are flood with many different varieties.

What'south the divergence between Southern and English peas?

Legumes in the South are not to be confused with greenish circular English peas. They have a completely unlike sense of taste and texture, and they are non even related.

What are snaps?

Many recipes call for snaps to be included, and you lot may accept seen the term "field peas and snaps." Snaps are immature pods, and many cooks like to add them when cooking.

Are field peas and black-eyed peas the same?

Black-eyed peas are probably the most common blazon of field pea or cowpeas. Other field peas include zipper, crowder, red ripper, white acre, and imperial hull.

Sharon'southward Tips:

If you don't want to apply pork, you can substitute a packet of dry, ham-flavored concentrate made by Goya. You can often find it in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.

Leftovers should exist stored covered in the refrigerator for upward to four days. They are delicious added to salads and can be used to make my famous Redneck Caviar Dip. They can be heated up in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove.

Fresh is always the best. But, if that isn't an choice, yous can sometimes notice them frozen. They also might be in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section of your grocery shop. I don't recommend canned.

Related recipes:

If yous like this recipe, you might also like these pop posts: Zipper Peas Southern Fresh White Acre Peas , Southern Pink Lady Peas, Southern White Acre Pea Succotash, Tomato Salad and White Acre Peas; Black-Eyed Pea Hummus, Easy Southern Hoppin' John, andSouthern Blackness-Eyed Peas.

You can find all of my recipes featuring southern peas or cowpeas here.

You might also like these recipes: Southern-Manner Creamed Corn, Southern Squash Goulash, Green Tomato Pie, Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Corn Salad, Southern Cheese Grits Goulash, and Southern Potato Salad.

★ If you make this dish, please get out a comment and requite this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how y'all liked information technology!

Thank you and so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

Southern Field Peas Recipe

Field peas are a truthful old-fashioned Southern delicacy, and my recipe for Southern Field Peas with its total-flavored earthy goodness is every bit simple every bit information technology is tasty.

Grade Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings iv servings

Calories 203 kcal

▢ 3 cups fresh shelled field peas with or without snaps
▢ 3 cups water
▢ one smoked ham hock can substitute ¼ lb salt pork or leftover ham
▢ ½ cup onion minced
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ i tablespoon bacon grease tin can substitute olive oil
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher table salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon basis blackness pepper
▢ Optional fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Add bacon grease or olive oil to a medium-size saucepan over medium-low rut. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for about six minutes. Add together the garlic and saute for another infinitesimal. Lookout the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't fire.
Add the ham hock, the peas, h2o, kosher table salt, and pepper. Add more water, if necessary, to comprehend the peas by at least an inch and turn the heat up until the liquid comes to a eddy.
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. At virtually fifteen minutes, taste a few to check for seasoning and to meet if they are done.
If not, proceed cooking for a few more minutes. The fresher the peas are, and the smaller they are, the less time they volition need to cook.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

If you lot don't want to use pork, you lot can substitute a package of dry, ham-flavored concentrate made past Goya. You can frequently observe information technology in the Mexican nutrient section of your grocery shop.

Leftovers should be stored covered in the fridge for up to four days. They are delicious added to salads and can be used to make my famous Redneck Caviar Dip. They can be heated up in the microwave or a bucket on the stove.

Fresh is e'er the best. But, if that isn't an pick, you lot can sometimes detect them frozen. They also might be in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section of your grocery shop.

Delight leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @gritsandpinecones or #gritsandpinecones!

**This recipe was originally published on July 12, 2022. It was republished on June 21, 2022, with expanded directions and tips.

Source: https://www.gritsandpinecones.com/easy-peasy-southern-field-peas-recipe/