Hoppin' John
Front Porch Gatherings & Holiday Traditions
If there is a dish that tells the unvarnished truth of the American South, it is Hoppin' John. Born from the sheer ingenuity of enslaved West Africans in the coastal Carolinas, this isn't the sanitized, multi-day restaurant vanity project you'll find in gentrified downtowns. It is a one-pot marvel of smoke, pork, and aggressive starch management. The real magic happens when you wash the hell out of your rice, yielding distinct, fluffy grains that soak up the pot likker without turning into a gloomy paste, finished with a hit of vinegar to wake the whole thing up.
Before you start
Wash the rice.
Rinse the long-grain white rice under cold water 4 to 6 times until the water runs completely clear to remove surface starch and guarantee fluffy, distinct grains.
Ingredients
- thick-cut smoked bacon8 oz
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1 med
- celery2 med stalks
- garlic3 med cloves
- dried black-eyed peas1 lb
- low-sodium chicken broth4 cup
- long-grain white rice1 1/2 cup
- bay leaf1 med
- dried thyme1/2 tsp
- smoked paprika1/2 tsp
- cayenne pepper1/4 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- apple cider vinegar1 tbsp
- scallions3 med
Method
- 01
Render the pork.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon, leaving the glorious fat behind.
- 02
Sauté the aromatics.
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the bacon fat and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, thyme, paprika, and cayenne for 1 minute more.
- 03
Simmer the peas.
Pour in the dried peas, chicken broth, and bay leaf, bring to a boil, drop the heat to low, cover slightly, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the peas are tender but entirely intact.
- 04
Add the washed rice.
Season the broth with the salt and pepper—it should taste a bit too salty—then stir in your aggressively rinsed rice and bring back to a gentle simmer.
- 05
Execute the final steam.
Cover the pot tightly, drop the heat to the absolute minimum, and walk away for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- 06
Fluff and finish.
Kill the heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then discard the bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and stir in the vinegar, scallions, and reserved bacon.
Notes
The Weeknight Shortcut.
If simmering dried peas isn't in the cards, substitute two 15-ounce cans of black-eyed peas. Drain and rinse them completely to ditch the metallic canning sludge, reduce the broth to 3 cups, and add the peas at the same time as the raw rice.
From Cook Southern Food.