This post might not make sense to you if you’re not from the South, but I had a near calamity today. I had a taste for black eye peas, so I got my trusty cast iron pot out and started washing peas. Bud made a pass through and nearly swooned with happiness when he saw how lovely I looked washing peas next to the garlic, celery, and onion waiting on the chopping block. There would be unhappiness in our home this evening if no peas and ham were forthcoming. After seasoning and starting the peas, I went to the freezer to find the meaty ham bone I’d squirreled back a couple of weeks ago. Ham bones are a gift of nature. I even knew a family who nicknamed their son Ham Bone. I think to a Southern Cook, the ham bone is more important than the ham itself, a delicacy to be hidden from nosey freezer plunderers at all costs. In fact, I have been known to threaten bodily harm when a home-wrecking guest asked Bud, not me for the ham boneafter a meal. I put a stop to that hussy then and there!
At any rate, the precious ham bone must be retrieved at the perfect point of denuding. Too much meat on the bone is wasteful. Too little just leaves the pea soup a bit anemic. I knew I had the most darling ham bone hidden away in the freezer awaiting its rendezvous with my peas. I reached in the freezer for my ham bone and found………..nothing! Well, actually I found ground beef and pork, chicken parts of various types, several kinds of sausage, vegetables and fruit a plenty, but no ham bone. I panicked. Earlier in the week, I’d asked Bud to get the frozen meat trimmings and scraps to the trash. God forbid? Had he mistaken my foil-wrapped ham bone for scraps. Worse yet, had he sneaked it out to another woman? I was almost too shattered to look, but finally found my ham bone shoved to the back of the bottom shelf behind a bag of ice. Never has a ham bone been so welcome. The peas breathed a sigh of relief when I dropped the bone in.
Our marriage was saved.
2 1/2 cups black eyed peas
8 cups water
1/2 tablespoon salt or more to taste
1/4 tablespoon black pepper
1 medium onion (whole)
1/4 c diced celery if desired
Nice ham bone
1/4 teaspoon vinegar (or pepper sauce)
Simmer all ingredients in large cooking pot on stove top burner on medium heat. Use cast-iron pot if you have one.
Cook 40-60 minutes or until peas are tender. Do not allow water to evaporate entirely. If peas are dry they will burn quickly.
Serve with hot cornbread. It is against the law to throw the pea soup out. Have it for lunch tomorrow is ver cornbread.
Howsabout a little possum belly and grits on the side. Yummy yum yum!
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As soon as someone runs over one I will let you know.
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I’m glad the missing ham bone was found in the end. I thought for a while there that it was all going to end in tragedy. 🙂
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All is well,
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Never made pea soup with black eyed peas. But I do make it – including the ham bone !
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It will put hair on your chest!
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Phew! That was close!😱
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Could have been tragic.
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I’m pescatarian (fish, no other flesh), but love any kind of pulse. Have nominated you for a One Lovely Blog Award at https://happinessbetweentails.wordpress.com/2016/09/17/bloggers-cheer-each-other-on/comment-page-1/#comment-614
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Thanks so much for the honor.
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You’re very welcome 🙂
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Damn, I wish I could still eat black eye peas. Now I could only eat the ham bits and not much of that. You’ll just have to eat my share for me.
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Bud took care of them.
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You’re making this southern girl hungry!
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It’s suppertime now.
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I almost choked on my heart, sure you wouldn’t find the ham bone. I hate when something goes missing from the freezer without my knowledge (and I live alone). 😀 😀 😀
BTW, can I come over for lunch tomorrow since you found YOUR ham bone?
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Absolutely. So glad to see you back. Missed you.
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Missed you too. Small steps but I’m on my way. Wonderful to see you. 🙂
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The horror you must have felt at the thought of the ham bone going in the trash. 😟 Glad you got to make the delicious looking soup and thanks for sharing the recipe.
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You are so welcome. It was so good!
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Now that’s good eating!
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Yes sir!
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OMG. I had heart palpitations over that ham bone. How dare you create such tension in the blogging world? I’ve never read such a clever lead-in to a recipe. In our house the equivalent was ham and cabbage. With boiled potatoes of course and vinegar! My mother was a southern girl of sorts but never introduced us to black-eyed peas.
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Maybe you need to try them. It might be love.
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I understand your love for black eyed peas and hambone!
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I used to leave soup in the crock pot for my kids when they got in from school. It was always gone!
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Giving away/throwing away those bones….sacrilege. ☺ I get it. 💘 Glad it all worked out…
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No thanks to that ham bone hustling hussy.
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