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Stephen Jones

Hoppin' John
S13E9 Southern · 2017
Where to find them
● @chefstephenjones

Hoppin' John — black-eyed peas and rice — is a dish that carries a specific weight in Southern food history, and Stephen Jones brought that weight to Phoenix, Arizona, where he runs the larder + the delta. The 'delta' in the name is not incidental. Jones cooks food with a point of origin and a reason for the journey, and Hoppin' John gave him a platform to show why.

His peas soaked overnight, which reduced their cook time and allowed the broth to build slowly from a ham hock and aromatics without the peas going to mush. He cooked the rice in the pot liquor after the peas were done rather than separately, so the rice absorbed all the smoked pork and pea-starch depth the long braise had built. Final seasoning came off the stove, not in the pot, to keep the salt level calibrated to the finished dish.

Bobby built his separately and combined them. You taste the difference between a dish cooked together and a dish assembled.

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Hoppin' John

20 min Prep
45 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 6 oz andouille sausage, sliced into half-moons
  • 4 oz smoked bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 3.5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 scallions, sliced thin, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Render the bacon in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve, leaving 1 tbsp of fat in the pot.
  2. Add the sliced andouille to the pot and sear for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the edges caramelize slightly. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
  3. In the same pot, add 2 tbsp butter and sauté the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the rice and toast it with the aromatics for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to coat each grain and develop a nutty flavor. Add the smoked paprika, dried thyme, cayenne, and bay leaves, stirring for 30 seconds.
  5. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 18-20 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice should absorb the liquid completely.
  6. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the black-eyed peas, reserved bacon, andouille, remaining 2 tbsp butter, salt, and black pepper. Cook uncovered over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently to combine, until warmed through and flavors meld.
  7. Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning with additional salt and cayenne to taste, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve immediately.
Inspired by Stephen Jones’s winning hoppin' john. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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