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Black-Eyed Peas with Bacon

In the South, January 1 traditionally means cooking up a big pot of black-eyed peas since, according to legend, eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day brings luck and prosperity in the upcoming year. However, seeing as how black-eyed peas have admittedly never been my favorite, I would usually just choke down a spoonful to ring in the New Year and consider it good. But when I had a family of my own, I had to figure out a way to make this annual tradition more enjoyable. And so I did, unlocking bacon, garlic, and thyme as the secret ingredients for black-eyed peas that are not only tolerable, but downright tasty!
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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 slices bacon divided
  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas picked over, rinsed, and drained
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 4 dried bay leaves
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup minced fresh parsley

Method
 

  1. To cook the bacon, position the oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400°. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and line it with the bacon. Cook the bacon for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is crispy.
  2. Use a fork or tongs to remove the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Discard the bacon grease, and chop the bacon. Cover and refrigerate half of the chopped bacon, and put the rest of it in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
  3. Add the black-eyed peas, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper to the slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth, and stir to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the black-eyed peas are tender. Discard the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in parsley. Serve bowls of black-eyed peas topped with the reserved chopped bacon after reheating it.