New Year’s Eve in the South—Black-Eyed Peas, Greens, Hog Jowls
Every card-carrying Southerner knows that there are three things you must eat on New Year’s day—black-eyed peas, greens, and hog jowls. (Add a wedge of cast-iron skillet buttermilk cornbread and earn Buck Owens bonus points.) This meal is not negotiable, it is not optional, and its roots run deep through the red clay of Southern superstitions that we all stand firmly on every day. But on the first day of the new year, tradition, superstition and classic Southern flavors come together in one beautiful, delicious meal.
Black-eyed peas are the cornerstone of this classic Southern New year’s day meal therefore pinto beans, navy beans, or any other highfalutin legume may not be substituted. Black-eyed peas likely became a part of Southern New Year’s Day tradition during the Civil War when Union armies left behind piles of black-eyed peas because they thought they were cattle feed.
These abandoned peas allowed remaining Southerners to survive the winter and thus became “lucky.” Increase your chances for good luck throughout the year by eating exactly 365 peas. Because, you know...science.
When choosing your greens, collard, mustard, or turnip greens may be used, but fancy greens like kale or Swiss chard are for city folk and will not be tolerated. Why greens on New Year’s day? Because back when these traditions were first taking shape they were one of the few edible plants that could survive Southern winters. Green also represents new beginnings and of course, good ole ‘Murican greenbacks. Prosperity is never color blind in the South.
Since a pig can’t turn its head to see backwards, pork is a perfect metaphor for looking ahead to the new year. Some folks try to argue that any cut of pork will do for the traditional Southern New Year’s Day meal, but those people are carpetbaggers and cannot be trusted. A true son or daughter of the South knows that only two parts of the sus domesticus are acceptable for this first meal of the year.
The best choice is the jowl, which is cured pork cheek that tastes like the best thick-cut bacon you’ve ever eaten. Second runner-up is the subcutaneous fat cut from under the skin of the back, commonly known as fatback and is typically just used to season the beans. Don’t try to put on airs and gussy up the meal with bacon or lean cuts of pork. You need that fat to ensure “fat” times for the coming year.
I can’t guarantee it will ensure prosperity or good health for the coming year, but here’s my recipe for New Year’s Day Soup of the South. It never hurts to be safe.
- 1/2 pound dried black eyed peas (To use canned beans, drain and rinse a 28 ounce can of black eyed peas. Skip step 1 and add beans to soup in step 4, simmering for 30 minutes instead of 1 hour.)
- Kosher salt
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 8 ounces of hog jowl, diced
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced
- 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bunch leafy greens such as turnip, mustard or collard, washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped (about 2 quarts)
- black pepper
Directions
Place beans in a large bowl and cover with 3 quarts of water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and let sit overnight at room temperature. (unless you’re using canned, then see above).
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the diced hog jowl until it starts to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it starts to brown. Add onion and celery to the sausage and cook until softened. Add the garlic, rosemary, and cook for about 30 seconds. Return the diced hog jowl to the pot along with the chicken stock and bay leaves.
Drain and rinse beans then add to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are softened, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaves.
Blend 2 cups of soup (without the hog jowl) in a blender on high speed until smooth. Return to pot. Add the greens and cook until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.