How To Make Black-Eyed Peas: An Easy New Year's Recipe In The Southern Tradition

If you live anywhere near the Southern United States, you know it's lucky to have black eyed-peas for dinner on New Year's Day. Like 'em or not, it's a tradition.

"Black-eyed peas, collard green, pork chop and corn bread," Alabama resident Marcerlene Coleman told FOX 10 recently. "My grandmother did it, my mom did it, now I do it ... and my kids do it."

You can make black-eyed peas in a slowcooker, get them frozen or turn the recipe healthy. But if you're looking for a standard Southern recipe, former Food Network hosts Patrick and Gina Neely have got you covered. The now-divorced couple used to own three Tennessee restaurants, so you'll definitely want to check out their recipe.

See it here or read below.

The Neelys' Black-Eyed Peas With Bacon And Pork

1. First, take a pound of dried black-eyed peas and cover them with four inches of water, then let soak overnight. Drain.

2. In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil and add six ounces of pork shoulder cut into small cubes. Sear for about five minutes, then add four strips of cut-up bacon. Toss in four minced cloves of garlic and a diced onion and cook until everything is brown. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne.

3. Add four cups of chicken stock and three bay leaves. Boil and let simmer for a half hour.

4. Next, add your peas. Let that simmer for another hour and a half, using a spoon to crush some of them.

5. Season again to taste. Pour in a bit of hot-pepper vinegar (if you want), take out the bay leaves and serve your peas. Yum.

May your new year be prosperous (or, at the very least, better than the crazy year that was 2016).