Slow Cooker Ham Hock and Black-eyed Pea Soup
I made this for New Year’s Day, and it was so delicious that I must make it again right away, before I forget what I did (and while we have ham hocks and black-eyed peas in the shares).
Preparation
Ingredients
1 smoked ham hock or pork shank
1 lb. pink-eyed peas (or black-eyed–I think they’re a little different, primarily in name)
1 large or two small onions, diced
4-6 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and roughly chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 T. cumin (or more to taste)
1T. salt or to taste
1t. thyme
1 t. black pepper or to taste
1/4-1/2t. cayenne
1/2-1 lb. greens (collards, kale, chard, beet greens, spinach or the like), rinsed and roughly chopped
Soak peas overnight in water. Drain and place in crockpot with ham hock and enough water to cover–it makes a delicious broth so fill-er-up, but leave room for the remaining ingredients. Turn crockpot to high. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until onion is translucent. Add to slow cooker and allow to cook for 5-6 hours on high. Break up the ham hock a bit using a couple of forks. Remove fat and inedible skin. Add the cumin, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne and turn crockpot to low. Stir in greens and allow to cook at least another hour (mine went for several more hours). Remove shank bones and serve.
You can flavor this up with plenty of other herbs and spices, but this was a nice, simple soup that the smoked shank flavored perfectly and it didn’t need a whole lot more.