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

Hearty Southern-style black-eyed peas slow-cooked with smoky turkey leg for a rich, comforting meal.

# Ingredients:

→ 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

# Instructions:

01 - Rinse the dried black-eyed peas under cold water and sort through them, discarding any debris or damaged beans.
02 - Transfer the prepared peas to a 6-quart slow cooker and nestle the smoked turkey leg directly on top of the peas.
03 - Pour 6 cups of water over the peas and turkey leg. Add salt and black pepper, stirring gently to distribute seasonings.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH setting for 4 to 5 hours, until the peas reach a tender, creamy consistency.
05 - Remove the turkey leg from the slow cooker. Shred the meat by hand, discarding skin and bones. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly.
06 - Taste the dish and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into serving bowls and serve hot.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself, which means you can spend your time on things that actually matter instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The peas become creamy and rich without any cream, all thanks to the turkey leg breaking down and flavoring every single bite.
  • You end up with enough to feed a crowd or enough leftovers to reheat when you're tired and hungry, which is honestly the best kind of magic a recipe can offer.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing and sorting step; I learned this the hard way by biting down on a pebble that had hidden in the batch, and it was the kind of moment that makes you never skip that step again.
  • The smoked turkey leg really does make the entire dish, so if you can't find one, a smoked ham hock works beautifully, but straight-up chicken will leave you wondering why the flavor feels flat and incomplete.
03 -
  • Start tasting the peas around the 6-hour mark on LOW because slow cookers vary wildly, and you don't want to overcook them into oblivion.
  • If your peas still seem too firm after the recommended time, add another 30 minutes to an hour rather than dumping in more water, which will dilute all that hard-earned flavor.
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