Hoppin John is even tastier when you use apple cider as the cooking liquid. Get this delicious Southern Hoppin John recipe for good luck all year!
Apple Cider Hoppin John Recipe
Running out of an ingredient can be the best thing that ever happened. It happened to me this week. I had two big bags of greens in the refrigerator, waiting to be cooked. I had neither broth nor any ingredients to make broth on hand, and I didn’t want to cook the greens in plain old water.
I racked my brain for substitutions. Finally, a rummage in the refrigerator produced a long lost can of hard apple cider. Success! I popped the top of the can and smelled the cider. Perfect. I fired up the stove and, when it came time, added a 50/50 mixture of cider and water to the greens. You can also use nonalcoholic cider if you prefer.
I didn’t know if it would work, but I had a good feeling. Turns out I was right. Apple cider makes one delicious mess of greens, and black-eyed peas have a magical effect. They thicken the pot liquor (or “pot likker“) as well as adding heartiness to the meal. I feel like I’m starting off the new year with especially good fortune.
Good fortune can be yours, too. You can use any favorite fresh greens for this recipe: collard, mustard, or mixed. Cook up a little Carolina Gold rice to go with it, or maybe a pan of cheddar biscuits. If you have leftover smoked ham or turkey, that goes well, too. You might need to adjust the seasonings, though, since ham and turkey can be salty.
If you like this recipe for Hoppin John, be sure to try Braised Fall Greens with Apples and classic Southern Collard Greens.
Apple Cider Hoppin John
Hoppin John is even tastier when you use apple cider as the cooking liquid. Get this delicious Southern Hoppin John recipe for good luck all year!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 16 ounces fresh collard greens
- 3/4 cup hard apple cider or nonalcoholic apple cider
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 16 ounce can of black-eyed peas
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
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When the butter is bubbling hot, add the collard greens. Stir to vigorously to coat the greens in butter. Fry until the collards are wilted, dark green, and less than half their original volume (about 5 minutes).
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Add the cider and the water. Stir. Return to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then stir. Re-cover the pot and cook for 30 more minutes.
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Drain and thoroughly rinse the black-eyed peas until they are very clean and no longer producing bubbles when rinsed. Add the black-eyed peas to the pot and stir. Add the sugar and the salt and stir again.
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Raise the heat to bring the liquid in the pot back to a boil. Boil and stir occasionally for 5 minutes, until the liquid thickens slightly.
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Remove the pot from the heat and leave the lid off. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Include some liquid from the pot with each serving.
melissa chapman says
I never had the apple cider in my cooking. If I make collard greens and black eyed peas I will try out this recipe.
Amber Myers says
This looks really good! I don’t think I’ve ever tried this before, so I am excited to make it.
Heather says
I have never ever heard of hoppin john! I bet it is very gut friendly with the apple cider vinegar.
Terri Steffes says
I like that tartness that apple cider would add to the Hoppin John. My grammy made Hoppin John every New Year’s Day.
Tammy says
I love Hopping John with a good slice of cornbread. Now I must make this. I’ve got some greens in my garden right now.
Beth says
It sounds amazing! I’ll have to try this sometime soon. It is hard to find collard greens around here, but I see them from time to time.
Brandy says
This looks so delicious. I haven’t tried Apple Cider Hoppin John before, guess I’ll be trying this in my near future. Hopefully next week.
Chef Dennis says
Hmmm yum! This Apple Cider Hoppin John looks really mouthwatering and is definitely making me hungry. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kathy says
This looks really good. I’ve never had anything like it before. I’m interested in seeing how it tastes.