These 100-year-old recipes for black-eyed peas and collard greens bring luck in the new year

The New Year’s Day menu has been the same in my family for over 100 years. The traditional menu would include a pork roast, black-eyed peas, Southern-style greens, sweet potatoes and cornbread. Nowadays, we see these items on menus and they are a modern delicacy, but back then, it was the only food my folks could afford. My mom says these recipes likely go back to my great-great-grandparents. I absolutely love traditions like these. There is so much history in these dishes, which was a large part of why I started my blog. My mom and I recently got together to re-create (and finally write down) these recipes that have lived in our minds for a very long time.

My grandma was born in Louisiana and my grandfather was born in Arkansas. Their parents and grandparents were rooted in the South as well, and so much of the food that I grew up on came from the old Southern recipes of my ancestors. The South is full of traditions, and New Year’s Day is no different. 

This traditional menu is one that we all hold pretty close to our hearts because every single element has a specific meaning for our family’s hopes of the new year. The black-eyed peas are to bring luck to your year; the greens are for hopes of money and good fortune; the pork is a reminder to live off of the fat of the land; and the sweet potatoes are to remind us of the sweetness of life. I asked my mom about the cornbread, and we came to the conclusion that it was just part of the meal, and there was rarely a meal without it for both of us growing up.

Today I am sharing two of my family’s New Year’s recipes: the Southern-style greens and the black-eyed peas. You’ll notice below that these two dishes utilize many of the same ingredients. This isn’t a mistake, it is by design. My ancestors did a great job of stretching the food they had to feed their families. So while I separate these recipes out for you, you can absolutely make all of the stock at once and then separate it between the greens and the beans once the stock is created. 

I also want to point out that while my grandma was the cook of the family, the Southern-style greens recipe came from my grandfather. Papa was always in charge of the greens. It was his contribution to many family meals. He taught my sister how to make his greens, and my sister taught me. As for the black-eyed peas, and so many of the other family recipes I’ve learned over the years, my mom has been the best teacher. She carries on my grandmother’s legacy with her cooking every day, and I’m so glad she gave me her blessing to share these recipes. 

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Louis Spain’s Southern-Style Greens

Time: 3 hours

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ham hocks (about 3 pieces)
• 2 quarts water
• 5 bunches collard greens (about 1½ pounds)
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3-6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

STEPS:

1. In a large stock pot, add 2 quarts of water and ham hocks and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer for about 1 hour.
2. While the ham hocks are simmering, you will want to clean the greens.
3. Cleaning the greens:
   • Fill your sink with about 4 inches of cold water.
   • Separate the greens and add them to the water in your sink.
   • Shake the greens in the water and rub the leaves gently to remove any dirt.
   • Drain your sink.
4. Remove the stems from the greens by running a knife down the tough rib of each green leaf. Stack the cleaned and stemless greens on a cutting board.
5. Working in 3 batches, roll up the greens and slice into about ¾-inch pieces.
6. Remove ham hocks from the pot of water. Save the water — it is what the greens will cook in. Cut off the outer layer of thick skin from the ham hock, this will allow the meat inside to continue cooking with the greens.
7. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the ham hocks and skin, onion, ground pepper and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute.
   • If you would prefer a low-fat option, add the ham hocks to the Dutch oven but not the skin. The skin adds flavor and can also be removed before serving.
8. Add to the Dutch oven the water that the ham hocks were boiled in.
9. Add to the Dutch oven the greens and press them down so they all fit in the pot.
10. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook on a low simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Add 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and salt to taste.
12. Serve with additional vinegar to add if desired.

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Edith Spain’s Black-Eyed Peas

Time: 3 hours (active), 12 hours (inactive)

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 ounces black-eyed peas
• 6 cups and 2 quarts of water, separated
• 1 pound ham hocks (about 3 pieces)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Salt to taste

STEPS:

1. The night before cooking, add the black-eyed peas and 6 cups of water to a large bowl and cover with a paper towel or cheese cloth. Allow the beans to soak overnight. Add an additional cup of water in the morning before you start cooking, to keep the beans hydrated, if all of the water soaks up.
2. In a large stock pot, add 2 quarts of water and ham hocks and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook for about 1 hour.
3. Remove ham hocks from the pot of water and cut off the outer layer of thick skin from the ham hock; this will allow the meat inside to continue cooking with the beans. Add ham hocks and skin back to the pot of water.
4. Strain the black-eyed peas from the soaking water, and throw the soaking water away.
5. Add onions, garlic, red bell pepper, thyme, pepper and beans to the water. Increase heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
6. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Salt to taste.
7. Serve warm over rice.