slow cooker black eyed peas and ham

We can all agree that nutrition, that food you’re shoving in your face, is a massive component to a healthy lifestyle. Not only does this mean having some open mindedness with what you’re eating, but it also means being flexible with the recipes you have. Black Eyed Peas and Ham is a staple in my house over New Year’s. It’s a family tradition and it’s a recipe I have constantly evolved over time.

Last year, I posted this recipe for Black Eyed Peas and Ham but when I switched it up this year, I thought I would give you another option.

I have to say…

I like this year’s version a little more.

It just goes to show that if you’re good with changing things up, with taking recipes that you have and adding different ingredients, it can give you a whole new food experience. Don’t be afraid to change things, to see how it works when you add or take out different components to a recipe.

The flavor profile for this version is a step totally out of the box from last year’s classic and amazing in its’ own right.

When you get into an old recipe that you want to make some changes to, my biggest piece of advice is to step away from the old recipe completely. Don’t let it influence or guide you at all. If you know the basic components are going to be the same (the black eyed peas for instance) and you’re adding in things you know your family already enjoys, then you’ll be good!

Pro Tip: I did not include this in the breakdown of the recipe, as you can see below, but we smoked the ham this year. Obviously it was a pre-cooked ham that needs to be reheated, but we did so on our smoker with a pineapple juice braise. The sugar from the pineapple created a great crust on the ham and added texture to the ham in recipe.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you could create a similar (less smokey) effect in the oven!

Here’s another tip: You can totally soak your black eyed peas overnight. I prefer this because it helps with the cooking time and it’s easier to get the rocks out, but if you forget, a 3 hour soak (with a little longer cooking time) will do the trick!

slow cooker black eyed peas and ham

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 6-10 hours

Serves: 8 people

1 lb black eyed peas, soaked overnight

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

10 oz. diced ham

4 slices of cooked bacon, chopped

4 cups of water or broth

1 tblsp oregano

1 tblsp cumin

1 tsp basil

2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

*Follow the instructions above for prepping the peas and the ham.

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray and add in all of your ingredients! Cook on low for 8-10 hours (closer to 10 if you had a shorter soak on the peas) or on high for 6 hours!

Serve with fresh corn bread while hot! Enjoy!