Kickoff Blackeyed Pea Bacon Chili Recipes

BLACK-EYED PEA CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook till softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook till done. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and chili powder and cook 1 minute.
• Add the peas, tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring a few times, for about 20 minutes.
• Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of cilantro leaves.

BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Rinse and sort black-eyed peas. Place peas and bacon in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let soak, covered, 1 hour. Do not drain., In a cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in thyme., Stir into pea mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until peas are tender, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme leaves and additional crumbled bacon.

KICKOFF BLACKEYED PEA & BACON CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or high-walled skillet on medium-high heat, fry bacon pieces until crisp; remove bacon pieces and place on paper towel. Crumble bacon to ¼-inch or smaller pieces; set aside.
• Add onions and rutabaga to bacon fat in skillet and cook on medium for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook two minutes. Stir in blackeyed peas, tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, spices and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes. Add celery and crumbled bacon and cook 5 minutes. Taste and add extra salt if desired. Chili is ready to serve or, if needed, chili can simmer for up to 30 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle cilantro, additional bacon pieces, and grated cheddar cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips. Yields: 9-10 cups
• Bacon Tip: To make bacon pieces to garnish the top of the Blackeyed Pea Chili, place 4-6 slices of regular bacon on 3 sheets of paper towel. Cover bacon with a paper towel and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Continue to cook on high in 30-second increments until bacon is crisp. Cool bacon on a new paper towel and cut with kitchen shears in 1/2-inch pieces.