Southern Field Peas and Snaps (Easy Old-Fashioned Recipe)

A large gray bowl full of southern peas and snaps on a cloth napkin.

5 from 10 votes

Southern Field Peas and Snaps (Easy Old-Fashioned Recipe)

Field peas with snaps are a true old-fashioned Southern delicacy, and my recipe for Southern Field Peas, with its full-flavored, earthy goodness, is as simple as it is tasty.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

Ingredients

3 cups fresh shelled field peas, with snaps if you can get them
3 cups water
1 smoked ham hock, Can substitute ¼ lb salt pork or leftover ham. * See the complete list of substitutions in the post.
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 or whatever pork product you are using, the peas, and, if you have snaps, break them into one-inch pieces and add them right along with the peas; they cook in the same amount of time. Then add 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 it 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 and smaller the peas are, the less time they will need to cook.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

Notes

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 can be heated up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, and they can be frozen with no loss in quality.
I like to add my leftovers to Southern pea salad, or use them to make my famous redneck caviar, and I always substitute them for the lima beans in succotash.
Fresh peas are always the best. But if that isn't an option, you can sometimes find them frozen. I have also seen them packaged in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section in the grocery store. I don't recommend canned, but the Margaret Holmes brand is the best.

Nutrition