Crock-Pot Black-Eyed Peas Smoked Turkey (Print Version)

Creamy black-eyed peas simmered with smoked turkey for rich, smoky flavor in this comforting Southern favorite.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse and sort the dried black-eyed peas under cold water, discarding any debris or damaged beans.
02 - Transfer the prepared peas to the slow cooker, then nestle the smoked turkey leg on top of the peas.
03 - Pour 6 cups of water over the peas and turkey leg, then season with 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 the peas are tender and creamy.
05 - Remove the turkey leg from the slow cooker. Shred the meat from the bone, discarding skin and bones, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
06 - Stir the mixture thoroughly, taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One smoked turkey leg does all the heavy lifting, flavoring an entire pot while you go about your day.
  • Black-eyed peas turn creamy and tender without any fussing or constant stirring.
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it the kind of meal that keeps giving.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sorting and rinsing step—I learned this the hard way when I bit into a tiny stone at the dinner table and felt like an embarrassed fool.
  • The peas will thicken the broth naturally as they cook, so you'll end up with something between a soup and a stew, which is exactly right.
03 -
  • If you forget to soak your peas overnight (I always do), this slow cooker method works perfectly fine—there's no shame in skipping that step when time is short.
  • Taste the broth after six hours; sometimes peas cook faster depending on how old they are, so you might be done sooner than eight hours.
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