Barbecue Black-Eyed Peas

If you’re an avid cookbook collector like me, you will run across a recipe that will make you do a double take every so often.

Whether that’s a peanut butter and onion sandwich (a recipe I have actually spotted in a vintage cookbook) or a baked chicken recipe that is named after a First Lady, some recipes really stick out to me. After scouring tons of cookbooks over the years, many contain the same recipes, so it’s hard to actually catch my intrigue.

I picked up a cookbook in Corsicana last weekend and this recipe really stood out above the rest. I had never in my life heard of making baked beans– but with black-eyed peas. That’s essential what these “Barbecue Black-Eyed Peas” are: baked beans.

Black-eyed peas have a certain taste that I didn’t think would go well with a sweet barbecue sauce. Boy, was I wrong. It not only worked well with the barbecue sauce, but it was like a match made in heaven.

I added a few extra things to the original recipe to make it even more special. If you’ve got a good barbecue rub or seasoning, throw that into the meat. It will make it taste even better!

Enjoy!

Barbecue Black-Eyed Peas

• Servings: 3-4
• Time: 40 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Baked beans in a barbecue sauce but made with black-eyed peas for a fresh take on a classic.

Ingredients

• 3 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed well
• 4 strips bacon, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground turkey or beef
• 1 tsp. barbecue rub or Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 TBS. Worcestershire
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 – 2 cups barbecue sauce
• Fresh jalapenos, for serving

Directions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on a stovetop. Add bacon and fry until crispy. Remove bacon from pan to a paper-towel lined plate.
2. In bacon grease, saute onion and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground meat (turkey or beaf), garlic powder and barbecue rub/Montreal steak seasoning. Cook until meat is browned.
3. Stir in dry mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in drained and rinsed black-eyed peas and barbecue sauce, starting at 1 cup and going up to 2 cups of barbecue sauce if desired.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 275 degrees. Serve with bacon sprinkled on top and fresh sliced jalapenos.