Everyday Kitchen

American/Southern · Dinner

Hoppin John

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
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 draft.
The photograph includes tomato pieces not included in this draft. Representative photograph of Hoppin John. Garnishes and presentation may differ. This is not a tested result of this draft. 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

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

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 draft, 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.
  • Use the texture and doneness checks in the method; cooking times depend on your pan and heat.

Substitutions

  • Use vegetable stock and oil instead of bacon for a meat-free version.

Storage

  • Cool in shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Keep at 4°C / 40°F or below and use within 24 hours.
  • Reheat cooked rice only once, until steaming hot throughout at 74°C / 165°F. Keep cold rice dishes refrigerated until serving.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Hoppin John one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

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?

Use vegetable stock and oil instead of bacon for a meat-free version.

Can I prepare Hoppin John ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Hoppin John one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

Food safety references

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

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