Lowcountry Hoppin' John
Field peas and rice cook together with smoked pork in a Lowcountry dish inseparable from African American food history.
About this dish
Hoppin' John is a Lowcountry rice-and-pea dish traditionally associated with field peas or cowpeas, rice and smoked pork. It is especially linked to New Year's tables, though the dish belongs to a much broader Lowcountry food tradition.
Why this dish matters
Food historians connect Hoppin' John to West African rice and cowpea traditions preserved and transformed by enslaved Africans and their descendants in the Carolina Lowcountry. Modern versions using black-eyed peas are common, while Sea Island red peas more closely reflect older regional ingredients.
Sea Island red peas are ideal where available; black-eyed peas are a practical substitute.
Preparation notes
It seasons the rice.
Keep grains distinct.
It should season, not dominate.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked field peas or black-eyed peas
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 4 oz smoked bacon or ham hock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cups bean broth or stock
- 1 tsp thyme
- Black pepper
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1.Render bacon or brown ham hock in a pot.
- 2.Add onion and cook until soft.
- 3.Stir in rice for 1 minute.
- 4.Add peas, broth and thyme.
- 5.Cover and simmer 18 minutes without stirring.
- 6.Checkpoint: rice should be tender and separate with liquid fully absorbed.
- 7.Rest covered 10 minutes, fluff and season.
Worth finding before you cook
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