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A southern tradition, I have eaten Good Luck Blackeyed Peas my entire life on New Years, even if just a teaspoon!

Do you know why it’s good luck to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? As with most superstitions, there are several answers to the question.

Most Southerners will tell you that this culinary custom dates back to the Civil War. Black-eyed peas were considered animal food. The peas were not deemed worthy of serving to General Sherman’s Union troops. When Union soldiers raided the Confederates’ food supplies, legend says they took everything except the peas and salted pork. The Confederates considered themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and survived the winter. Peas then became symbolic of luck.

Black-eyed peas were also given to enslaved people, as were most other traditional southern New Year’s foods and evolved through the years to be considered “soul food.” One variation of the superstition says that black-eyed peas were all the enslaved people in the South had to celebrate with on the first day of January 1863. What were they celebrating? That was the day when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. From then on, black-eyed peas were always eaten on the first day of January.

Others say that since farming has always been important in the South, black-eyed peas are available and are a good food to celebrate in the winter. Not many crops grow this time of the year, but black-eyed peas stored well, were cheap, and it all just made sense.

Good Luck Blackeyed Peas

I don’t necessarily think Blackeyed Peas have a lot of flavor, so I cook mine with chicken stock and added water as they cook. I add salt pork or bacon and chopped onions and peppers and I finish with sliced jalapeño at the last 15 minutes of cooking!

You have to have cornbread with your peas! Here’s my Southern Cornbread recipe that always turns out great! https://the2spoons.com/southern-cornbread/.

Hope you enjoy my recipe!

Good Luck Blackeyed Peas

Print Recipe

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

2 Lbs Fresh black eye peas or frozen
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 Green bell pepper
1/2 Red bell pepper
4 Oz Salt pork or bacon, diced
4 Cups chicken stock
Additional water as the peas cook
Salt and pepper to taste (I use a little cayenne too)
2 Tbsp Olive oil for cooking the salt pork or bacon
jalapeno, sliced if desired

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a medium pot and add the diced salt pork or bacon. Cook until the fat has rendered and starting to brown. Add the onions and peppers and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the peas and the 4 cups of chicken stock. Add additional water if needed to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour and a half until tender. Add water as needed, as the liquid will evaporate while cooking. Season with the salt and pepper to taste when the peas start to be soft. Add sliced jalapeno to the peas if you desire at the last 15 minutes of cooking. When soft, check one final time for salt.

Serve with Southern Buttermilk Cornbread , braised cabbage, collard greens, or any of your southern favorites!

Keyword goodluck, newyears, blackeyed, peas,