My easy-peasy recipe for Southern Field Peas with its full-flavored earthy goodness is a true old-fashioned Southern delicacy, and it’s as simple to make as it is tasty.
You might not have ever tasted these creamy morsels infused with incredible flavor from the pork seasoning, depending on where you are from. But, I hope to change that with this post.
Here’s what you will need:
In addition to field peas, you will also need olive oil or bacon grease, onion, garlic, a ham hock, salt pork or leftover ham, and salt and pepper.
Here’s how to make them:
Add bacon grease or olive oil to a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for about six minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Add the ham hock or whatever pork product you are using, the legumes, water, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the legumes by at least an inch and turn the heat up until it comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Taste a few to check for seasoning and see if the peas are tender, starting at about 15 minutes. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
The fresher legumes are, and the smaller they are, the less time they will need to cook.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Do you have to soak them?
Fresh field peas do not need to be soaked. If you purchase dried peas, they will need to be soaked before cooking them.
What to serve with them?
My favorite summer meal is fresh field peas, sliced ripe summer tomatoes, and creamed corn, with either a side of homemade cornbread or hoecakes!
They also pair beautifully with most entreés and can be used to make a delicious side dish, Southern Pea Salad, perfect for backyard barbecues or potluck suppers.
How to blanch and freeze them:
Fresh peas should be refrigerated and used within a few days of purchase. However, they freeze well and, if you can’t cook them right away, you should blanch and freeze them.
To blanch, add them to boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately place them in a large bowl of water and ice to stop the cooking process. Once they are cool, drain and package them in plastic freezer bags or air-tight containers and place them in the freezer.
They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months—no need to thaw before cooking them.
What are field peas?
When someone talks about field peas in the South, they refer to any number of cowpea varieties like Zipper, Crowder, Purple Hull, Pink-Lady, and White Acre.
Cowpeas thrive in our hot, dry, sandy soils, and in the summer, our farmers’ markets are overflowing with many different varieties.
Be sure to try my delicious purple hull peas recipe while you are making peas!
What’s the difference between Southern and English peas?
Legumes in the South are not to be confused with green round English peas. They have a completely different taste and texture, and they are not even related.
What are snaps?
Many recipes call for snaps to be included, and you may have seen the term “field peas and snaps.” Snaps are immature pods, and many cooks like to add them when cooking.
Are field peas and black-eyed peas the same?
Black-eyed peas are probably the most common type of field pea or cowpeas. Other field peas include zipper, crowder, red ripper, white acre, and purple hull.
Sharon’s Tips:
If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of dry, ham-flavored concentrate made by Goya. You can often find it in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
Leftovers should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They are delicious added to salads and can be used to make my famous Redneck Caviar. They can be heated up in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove.
Fresh is always the best. But, if that isn’t an option, you can sometimes find them frozen. They also might be in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section of your grocery store. I don’t recommend canned.
Related recipes:
If you like this recipe, you might also like these popular posts: Zipper Peas Southern Fresh White Acre Peas, Southern Pink Lady Peas, Southern White Acre Pea Succotash, Black-Eyed Pea Hummus, Easy Southern Hoppin’ John, and Southern Black-Eyed Peas.
You can find all of my recipes featuring southern peas or cowpeas here.
You might also like these recipes: Southern-Style Creamed Corn, Southern Squash Casserole, Green Tomato Pie, Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Corn Salad, Southern Cheese Grits Casserole, and Southern Potato Salad.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Southern Field Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh shelled field peas with or without snaps
- 3 cups water
- 1 smoked ham hock can substitute ¼ lb salt pork or leftover ham
- ½ cup onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease can substitute olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional fresh parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Add bacon grease or olive oil to a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for about six minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
- Add the ham hock, the peas, water, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the peas by at least an inch and turn the heat up until the liquid comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. At about 15 minutes, taste a few to check for seasoning and to see if they are done.
- If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes. The fresher the peas are, and the smaller they are, the less time they will need to cook.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
**This recipe was originally published on July 12, 2018. It was republished on June 21, 2020, with expanded directions and tips.
JMM
For vegetarian option just cook in water and add salt to taste. They are so delicious that we prefer them without pork or grease. Taste frequently because cooking time can really vary.
Angela
Hi Sharon, I actually live in Cairo. I’m trying this recipe today! It sounds wonderful.
Sharon Rigsby
Hey Neighbor, I hope you love them!
All the best,
Sharon
Myra Ragan
Hi, Southern girl here who loves these but never learned to cook before leaving home. Picked up some fresh peas after a visit this past week. I noticed that Elizabeth Henry in 2021 commented about cooking the ham hock ahead of time for several hours but no comment/reply to her. A few other recipes also state to cook the ham hock ahead. This recipe doesn’t call for cooking the Ham Hock ahead of time — does cooking ahead need to be done? Thanks, I’m so looking forward to trying this — but I only have one chance to get it right!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Myra, I have never cooked my ham hock ahead of time, but I know of cooks who do. I think you will love my recipe as it is, but if you decide to cook the ham hock ahead of time, I would love to know what you think!
All the best
Sharon
Laine
We are growing cowpeas for the first time and came across your recipe. We added in some fresh chopped okra and long beans. So so delish!! Thank you for this great recipe.
Sharon Holloway
I live in Pennsylvania, where can I buy them or get them shipped to me? I would love some white acre peas or purple hull.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Sharon,
I feel your pain and wish I had a better answer for you. I have tried to find someone that ships them with no success. I just replied to Carl Hopkins and offered what links I could find, and you might want to check that out. A
if any of my readers have a resource, please let us all know.
All the best,
Sharon
Kay
you can order them directly from camellia. they are the best
Carl Hopkins
This is exactly what we have been looking for. 50 something years ago on my first visit to my girl friend’s house (now wife for 49 years) we had “field peas”. We live in California and can’t find them anywhere. I have looked online but everything I have seen the peas look white or “red/brown”. What we remember is green peas just link in the photo at the top of this blog.
Where can I get exactly what you showed?
Thanks…… Carl
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Carl,
Unfortunately, finding fresh southern peas outside the Southern US is very hard. I did find a company that advertises them (https://www.carrollssausage.com/field-peas-with-snaps). It also looks like they have purple hull and zipper peas, all in the same family. However, their shipping costs to California are very high. It looks like shipping up to five pounds would be $60. I have heard that Walmart often has them frozen, but I have never tried to find them there, so I don’t know that for sure. I also found this reference (https://meatfarminc.com/offline.aspx), but it appears they are closed and won’t open again until August.
I’m so sorry I can’t be of more help.
If any readers know of a resource that sells and ships fresh field peas, please reply to this comment and help Carl out!
All the best,
Sharon
Patricia Ransom
Carl, if you live in the Bay Area, Larry’s produce in Fairfield often has the peas you want. It might be a little early for them, but every year I get a case of purple hull and the green field peas from them.
Art
Delicious..where is the recipe for Redneck caviar dip?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Art, here is a link:https://www.gritsandpinecones.com/best-ever-easy-southern-caviar-dip/. I hope you enjoy it!
Sharon
Johnnie Todd
Where can buy some fresh field peas,and some purple hull peas,I will order if I have.thnks
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Johnnie, I would have to know where you live? If you are in the South, fresh peas are in season, and you should be able to get them at any farmer’s market. Most of the time I get mine from Lewis Produce which is located in Thomasville, Ga; I don’t know if they ship or not, but here is their phone number:(229) 226-6271. The only other suggestion I have is to contact the Red Hills Small Farm Alliance to see if they ship or know of any of their farmers in the area that might ship them. Here is their website address: https://www.redhillsfarmalliance.com/.
I’m sorry I can’t be of more help! If any of my followers know of any farmer that ships their peas, would you please share their contact info here.
All the best,
Sharon
Sue Mitchell
I’d never cooked fresh field peas, but this recipe was easy! My Southern-born & bred husband loves field peas with cornbread, and he said these were as good as Grannie used to make. Win!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Sue,
Thank you so much for your sweet note and I’m so glad you enjoyed the peas! I consider hearing that any of my recipes remind me of someone’s Grandmother’s cooking the highest compliment!
All the best,
Sharon
Elizabeth Henry
I am southern born and bred. Peas are among my favorite goods. If you use ham hocks to season your peas, it’s best if you boil them several hours until they fall apart, then add the other ingredients. Easier to eat and tastier flavor.
Betty Haskins
Hey Sharon. I ordered field peas on line. As you know, I’m a vegetarian, what can I sub for the bacon grease?
Malozi girl
I use vegan bacon and omit the ham
Susan
This recipe is AWESOME! I’ve never cooked fresh-picked white acre peas before and was a little nervous. I’ve followed several of your recipes before and have had great success so I figured I’d give this one a try. SUCCESS! You make this recipe so easy and so good. Thanks for the tips too. I’m now blanching the rest of the white acre peas so I can freeze them and have this awesome dish again and again. Much appreciation to you!
Gritsandpinecones
Hello again Susan, and once again thank you for sharing such nice comments! I’m so glad you enjoyed the peas, they are one of my favorite foods!
All the best!
Sharon