Sean Brock's Hoppin' John

Hoppin’ John is one of Charleston’s most iconic dishes.. I had the honor and pleasure to make Sean Brock’s recipe a few weeks ago and HAD to share this with the world. If you haven’t had the chance to travel to Charleston, please do it for your bucket list’s sake even if it isn’t on your list. Perhaps the most charming coastal town in the South, Charleston is home to rich history, culture, and especially food, and now, my entire immediate family! I am SO GLAD they picked Charleston. Sean Brock is potentially the best local chef and so passionate and inspiring. The key ingredient to this dish is Anson Mills Carolina Gold Rice. My sister gave me a bag and thought Hoppin’ John was the perfect first recipe to try some for the first time. This one is dedicated to my parents, sister, and brother-in-law and Sean Brock for the recipe inspiration

This dish is very simple… it’s black eyed peas served over rice and topped with a black eyed pea gravy. It’s been a staple of low country cuisine for over 150 years. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the happiest of histories as it was subsistence for slaves in South Carolina, but it should not be forgotten. It should be celebrated. I BRING YOU…..Hoppin’ John.

Sean Brock’s Hoppin’ John

Peas

• 2 quarts Chicken Stock

• 1 cup black eyed peas, soaked in a pot of water in the refrigerator overnight

• 1 1/2 cups medium dice onions

• 1 cup medium dice peeled carrots

• 1 1/2 cups medium dice celery

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 10 thyme sprigs

• Kosher salt

Rice

• 4 cups water

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

• 1 cup Anson Mills Carolina Gold Rice 

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Red Pea Gravy

• Reserved 1 cup cooked red peas

• Reserved 2 cups cooking liquid from the peas

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• Cider vinegar

Normally when I cook black eyed peas, I go the easy route and buy canned beans like most folks. There was no way in hell I was going to do that for this recipe. My odds would be Sean Brock would actually look up this post. I am SO GLAD I did not go the canned route. The beans were super flavorful and tender. I added the beans and water to a sauce pot and let them soak in the fridge. That’s literally the hardest part! SO EASY. I slapped the lid on and went about enjoying my evening. They needed to sit overnight to soak up all that delicious chicken stock.

I can’t tell you how excited I was the next day. It was like Christmas Eve... the anticipation of waiting to try the rice itself and the dish was hard to describe. Our beloved neighbors were coming over around 8pm-ish so the black eyed peas were started about 7pm-ish.

Since they take a hour or so to cook and get soft, I heated 2 quarts of chicken stock in a stock pot. While the water was reaching a boil, I chopped the carrots, celery, and onion… the trifecta!

Gratuitous choppin’ pic!

Once the water was boiling, I added the blacked eyes peas, veggies, bay leaf, thyme, and some salt to taste.

Peas cookin’

About 30 minutes before the peas were done, it was time to prepare the rice. By the way, the rice smelled AMAZING through the bag. It’s weird, I know, but have never seen rice that smelled so flavorful not even cooked. I knew it was going to be special.

Anson Mills Carolina Gold Rice

The oven was set to 300 to pre-heat for the rice. I brought the water up to a boil and cooked the rice for about 15 minutes, not all the way, mind you. I’ve never cooked rice this way, but it was glorious. You drain the rice (save the stock!) and then spread it over a cooking sheet. Once spread, you add four tablespoons of cubed butter. Are you drooling yet?? Then the rice went in the oven for 10 minutes to finish the cooking process and melt the butter.

Last, but certainly not least, it was time to make the gravy. I put 1 cup beans, 2 cups stock, and butter in a food processor and blended for 2-3 minutes. The gravy wasn’t as gravy-esque as I imagined so wasn’t sure if it wasn’t blended long enough, but it tasted damn good.

Our neighbors came over, everyone was hungry, and he moment of truth was finally here.

Kudos to Elizabeth for the scoopin’ shot!

The first bite was tremendous! I couldn’t believe how fluffy, tender, and buttery the was rice was. Well, let’s face it, I could believe the buttery part ;) The beans were rich with flavor from the stock full of veggies and herbs, and the black eyed pea gravy was the perfect topping. I felt connected to my family, Charleston, and even Sean Brock in the sense I ate something so near and dear to his heart. That meal is what cooking is all about - history, heritage, family, and sharing with others. It was great to hang with the neighbs (thanks for bringing the delicious salad) and enjoy some comfort food together. If you want a bite of Charleston, bro cookin’ some Hoppin’ John!

Hoppin’ John