These Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas with ham are so creamy and flavorful and delicious! You'll love including them in your New Year's tradition or any other day of the year where you need an easy, hearty meal!
I recommend you serve these black eyed peas with my delicious Southern Cornbread and side salad for a complete meal. You may also love my Southern Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens or my Ham and Bean Crockpot Soup..
Black eyed peas have a unique flavor. If you haven't tried them, but you like most dry beans, you will probably really like black eyed peas. They are creamy in texture and delicious with ham, salt and black pepper, and a few other spices. Not much needed to turn them into a hearty, satisfying meal.
Many people in the United States celebrate New Year's Day by eating black eyed peas, especially in the South. It's considered good luck for having a prosperous upcoming year. Though I don't believe in luck, it's a fun tradition and a delicious meal!
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💖 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple - This is a typical slow cooker recipe in which you will just dump all your ingredients in your pot and cook for several hours or most of the day, and VIOLA your meal is done. The only interruption to this is taking the ham hock out and removing the ham to add back to the beans, but this action is also very simple and basic.
- Few ingredients - Only 6 ingredients needed for this flavorful black eyed pea dish, and you'll be amazed at what a delicious recipe just a few ingredients creates.
- Hearty - Warming and filling, these black eyed peas with ham are so satisfying on a cold winter's day, especially good for New Year's Day!
🥘 Ingredients
📖 Ingredient Notes / Variations
- Ham hock: This is also called ham shank or pork hock / shank. Basically, it's a smoked leg portion from a pig - bone with a bit of surrounding meat and fat. Hocks are great for flavoring beans and soups, and then the ham is removed from the bone and added back in. If you don't have a hock, you can just use cooked ham - just add it in with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning. The ham will help flavor the beans while cooking.
- Water: I used water for the liquid (not shown), as the ham hock and herbs provide lots of flavor. You could use broth (ham, chicken, beef, or vegetable), but I don't think it's necessary for this recipe.
- Herbs: I used (and love) dry thyme and marjoram. Alternately, you can use a combination of other dry herbs such as oregano and parsley. The flavors will be a little different, but still delicious. Just use the same total quantity of dry herbs (2 teaspoons).
(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
How to Cook Black Eyed Peas in the Crock Pot:
Step 1: Soak dry black eyed peas covered in water overnight or at least 8 hours. Add more water as needed to keep them covered while soaking.
Step 2: Drain and rinse beans. Add to slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3: Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours or until beans are soft. Turn heat to low or warm.
Step 4: Remove ham hock to cool. Once cooled, separate the ham from the bone and fat, cutting or breaking into small pieces. Add back to the slow cooker and stir in. Serve hot.
(Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)
💭 Expert Cooking Tips
- I like to soak all my dry beans for at least eight hours before cooking. This just makes them more easily digestible and also cuts down on cook time since the beans soften and absorb water during the soaking process. Having said that, you really don't NEED to soak them, but I recommend it. I like to soak my beans in water that covers them well. I either soak them in the slow cooker or a large pot. You want to have enough water that they will stay covered for the entire time.
- Check during the soaking time, and add more water if needed. Keep them covered with a lid to keep out dust or debris. Once they're finished soaking, drain and rinse well, removing any foreign debris such as small rocks. I don't rinse before soaking, as it saves me from rinsing them twice.
- Ham (or pork) hocks (or shanks) are sold at most grocery stores (at least in the US). What you want is a pork or ham bone with a nice portion of meat on it. I would say they are typically half bone and half meat with a bit of fat and skin.
🧐 Recipe FAQs
I cook my black eyed peas in my slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours (if pre-soaked) or low for 5-6 hours or until softened. If not pre-soaked, they will take longer to cook by 1-2 hours.
I recommend soaking to help with digestibility and also shorten cook time. However, you don't have to soak them. You will need more water to cook them in, and they will take longer to cook. But, besides digestibility and lessening gas-causing discomfort, your beans will turn out just as delicious as they would after soaking.
If your black eyed peas (or any dry beans for that matter) are not softening after quite a long cook time, your beans may be older and not as fresh. Add just a pinch of baking soda, and that may help the beans to soften.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you tried these Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hock
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound black eyed peas , dry, soaked 8-12 hours
- 4 cups water
- 1 pork hock (or canned ham)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon dry marjoram
- ½ teaspoon salt , more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper , more to taste
Instructions
- Add soaked and rinsed black eyed peas to slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook 4-6 hours on high (7-8 hours on low) or until beans are softened.
- Remove ham/pork hock and let cool. Reduce slow cooker heat to low or warm.
- Once ham/pork hock is cooled, separate meat from fat and bone and add back to slow cooker in small pieces.
- Stir and serve hot.
Notes
- I like to soak all my dry beans for at least eight hours before cooking. This just makes them more easily digestible and also cuts down on cook time since the beans soften and absorb water during the soaking process. Having said that, you really don't NEED to soak them, but I recommend it. I like to soak my beans in water that covers them well. I either soak them in the slow cooker or a large pot. You want to have enough water that they will stay covered for the entire time.
- Check during the soaking time, and add more water if needed. Keep them covered with a lid to keep out dust or debris. Once they're finished soaking, drain and rinse well, removing any foreign debris such as small rocks. I don't rinse before soaking, as it saves me from rinsing them twice.
- Ham (or pork) hocks (or shanks) are sold at most grocery stores (at least in the US). What you want is a pork or ham bone with a nice portion of meat on it. I would say they are typically half bone and half meat with a bit of fat and skin.
Tracy says
Finally found a recipe that works and that ticked out as good as grandmas!! And it’s the simplest recipe I’ve ever tried. Thank you!!
Sally says
So good to hear, Tracy! Thank you for your feedback, and Happy New Year!
DSB says
New cook here…
I’m going to cook this up for the New Year! Can I add lentils or is that a bad mixture to add to this recipe?
Sally says
I have never tried adding lentils to this recipe, but you could try it - I think the flavors will match nicely. Just make sure to use the same amount of beans (1 pound total) for the recipe to turn out. If you add more than 1 pound of dry beans, you will need more liquid. Let me know how it turns out. Happy New Year!
Maureen says
I am a 77 year old Black Canadian who had black eyed peas and pork hocks countless times in my youth. This recipe is by far the simplest and the best! It takes me back to being a little girl in my aunt’s kitchen!
Maureen Smith
Sally says
So awesome to hear your feedback of this recipe - thank you, Maureen - this made me smile!
Sally says
Thank you for your feedback! Glad the recipe turned out well for you.
Stacy Schmelzle says
This is not my first time making this, and it’s delish! However this time my beans seem dry like maybe I need to cook them longer? I soaked them for 10 hours prior to placing them in the crockpot. I’m going to let them go a little longer, but even if they don’t soften up, it’s still so so so good!
Sally says
Thanks for your comment, Stacy! Perhaps your beans were a bit older? Sometimes I have to cook my beans longer due to how old they are (also adding salt later helps them to cook thoroughly). Glad you enjoyed the flavor.
Jane Jones says
Love your recipes. I have made a few.
Sally says
Thank you Jane! I appreciate the feedback!
Dannii says
We are always looking for new budget bean dishes to make and this looks delicious.
Sally says
Thanks Dannii!
Farah Abumaizar says
You recipes are always so comforting! I haven't had black eyed peas in the longest time but that's about to change! thanks for this!
Sally says
Thanks Farah! Hope you love them!
Anita says
So simple and delicious and a great way to enjoy black eyed peas.
Sally says
Yes, it's great comfort food for us ... thanks Anita!
Jill says
Looks like a tasty recipe to try. Healthy, delicious and with lots of fiber.
Sally says
It's healthy and delicious, Jill!
Christie Gagnon says
I love black eyed peas, but I've only ever eaten them from a can. This looks delicious, can't wait to try!
Sally says
Thanks Christie! This recipe calls for dry beans, but you can certainly use canned to make it quicker.