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American/Southern · Dinner

Hoppin John

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Hoppin John is a American/Southern dish. Start with cooked black-eyed peas so rice and beans finish together.

Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Rest, soak, marinate or chill
10 min
Total
65 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
American/Southern
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Hoppin John. The photograph includes tomato pieces not included in this recipe.
The photograph includes tomato pieces not included in this recipe. Representative photograph of Hoppin John. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Base

Rice

Beans

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Base · About 6 min

  1. Cook bacon from 100 g bacon, diced, 150 g onion, chopped, 100 g celery, chopped, 150 g green pepper, chopped, 15 g garlic 5 minutes, then vegetables and garlic 6 minutes.

Rice · About 22 min

  1. Add 300 g long-grain rice, 650 ml chicken stock, 1 tsp thyme, ½ tsp salt and 600 g cooked black-eyed peas, ½ tsp black pepper; cover and simmer gently 18–22 minutes until rice is tender.

    Check: Look for this result: rice is tender.

Rest · About 10 min

  1. Rest covered 10 minutes, then fluff. Add hot water during cooking only if rice is still hard and pot is dry.

Tips

  • Start with cooked black-eyed peas so rice and beans finish together.
  • Judge Hoppin John by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long Hoppin John takes to cook.

Substitutions

  • In Hoppin John, replace bacon for a meat-free version with vegetable stock and oil.

Storage

  • Cool Hoppin John in shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Finish Hoppin John within 24 hours, keeping it at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Reheat the cooked rice in Hoppin John once, until it steams throughout and reaches 74°C / 165°F. If serving Hoppin John as a cold rice dish, keep it refrigerated until serving.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Hoppin John one day ahead. For Hoppin John, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Hoppin John on the day of serving.

FAQ

What matters most when making Hoppin John?

Start with cooked black-eyed peas so rice and beans finish together.

What can I substitute in Hoppin John?

In Hoppin John, replace bacon for a meat-free version with vegetable stock and oil.

Can I prepare Hoppin John ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Hoppin John one day ahead. For Hoppin John, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Hoppin John on the day of serving.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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