Vernice’s Hoppin’ John Recipe
Disclaimer: The recipes I share on this blog are beloved family traditions passed down from my late mother. The recipe below has been lovingly shared through generations, and similar versions may be found elsewhere. This post is not intended as an original creation, but rather as a heartfelt tribute to a classic recipe that has long been part of our family’s story.
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Hoppin’ John has its roots in West Africa, where black-eyed peas are a common food. Enslaved Africans brought black-eyed peas with them to the Americas, and they quickly became popular in the Southern United States, especially in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
This dish became a hearty, flavorful way to stretch ingredients, combining rice (a crop grown in the area), black-eyed peas, and whatever pork was available, usually salt pork or bacon for that smoky taste.
The name “Hoppin’ John” has unclear origins. Some say it comes from the way kids would “hop” around excitedly when the dish was served, while others think it might have been a name given by the enslaved cooks who prepared it.
Whatever the reason, Hoppin’ John grew in popularity as a New Year’s tradition, with each part of the dish symbolizing something: black-eyed peas for coins, rice for abundance, and pork for health and wealth.
Every so often, when the craving hit, my mother pulled out her big, worn silver pot and set to making Hoppin’ John. The smell of smoky bacon or pork chops and simmering black-eyed peas filled the kitchen wrapping around me like a cozy blanket.
I would observe her stir the pot with slow, steady circles. Both the sound of the spoon scraping the sides and bottom of the pot plus the crackle of frying bacon seemed to affirm the safety and security of our home.
When she finally served it, the rice was perfectly tender with each black-eyed pea just soft enough to melt in my mouth. I would take a bite, and there was that salty, earthy taste mixed with a hint of garlic and onion.
It was simple, but so satisfying. I pressed my fork down, feeling the warm, slightly sticky rice cling together. Every mouthful tasted like comfort.
And though it wasn’t New Year’s, every spoonful felt lucky.
Hoppin' John With Smoked Pork Chops
Equipment
- 1 Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans of black-eyed peas, drained
- 4 smoked pork chops
- 1 celery rib
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 chopped jalapeno pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker/crock pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Serve over rice with cornbread.
Notes
