Ingredients
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (fresh or canned black-eyed peas can be substituted)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
200 grams meat of your choice (Pork, Chicken etc), diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, small diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups chicken stock
3 bay leaves
Hot-pepper vinegar, as desired
Directions
Preheat Oven to 350F / 175C if baking them in the oven.
Soak Beans – For the most flavorful beans, season your bean-soaking water with one tablespoon of kosher salt per quart (about 15 grams per liter), rinse the beans with fresh water before cooking, then add a pinch of salt to the cooking water as well.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the meat if it is uncooked. Sear until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Cook until the entire mixture is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock, beans and meat and drop in the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer if cooking on the stove, or place in the oven.
Simmer until the peas are very soft, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours adding water as needed (see Cook’s Note).
Taste for seasonings, and add some hot-pepper vinegar, if desired. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the black-eyed peas to a serving bowl.
Cook’s Note
Using the back of a spoon, smash some of the peas against the inside of the pot then stir them into the mixture. This will break up some of the peas and give them a creamier consistency. Alternatively, you can puree 1 cup of the peas and broth in a blender or a food processor, then return the puree to the pot.