Crock-Pot Black-Eyed Peas with Smoked Turkey (Printable)

Creamy black-eyed peas slow-cooked with smoky turkey leg for a hearty Southern meal.

# What You Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Meats

02 - 1 smoked turkey leg, approximately 1 pound

→ Pantry

03 - 6 cups water
04 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
05 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Rinse and sort the dried black-eyed peas, discarding any debris or damaged beans.
02 - Place the prepared peas in the slow cooker and nestle the smoked turkey leg on top.
03 - Pour water over the peas and turkey leg, then add salt and black pepper.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH setting for 4 to 5 hours until peas are tender and creamy.
05 - Remove the turkey leg from the slow cooker, shred the meat discarding skin and bones, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir well.
06 - Taste the dish and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over rice or with cornbread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself while you go about your day, filling your home with an irresistible smoky aroma.
  • One smoky turkey leg transforms simple beans into something rich and deeply satisfying, no fancy ingredients needed.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it friendly for almost any table without sacrificing any soul.
02 -
  • Don't add salt early in the cooking process because it can make the peas stay tough and stubborn; season at the very end when you can taste what you're actually creating.
  • If your peas finish cooking and still seem watery, don't panic—you can let the pot sit uncovered on high for thirty minutes to evaporate some liquid, or just accept that soup-like texture because it's honestly delicious spooned over rice.
03 -
  • Skim any foam that rises to the top in the first hour of cooking—it's not necessary but it does create a cleaner, more refined broth if you care about that sort of thing.
  • If you forget to rinse your peas, don't stress; they'll still cook, but they might release a bit more starch and make the broth cloudier, which is purely a visual thing and doesn't affect taste.
Go Back