Kentucky Cornbread & Black-eyed Peas

Kentucky cornbread pairs perfectly with a hearty serving of black-eyed peas. Together, they create a simple yet satisfying meal, especially when accompanied by a tall glass of iced tea.

New Years Tradition

In our family, eating black-eyed peas has always been more than just a meal—it’s a cherished tradition. Believed to bring good luck for the year ahead, this humble dish has been a must-have on every New Year’s Day. My husband and I have never let the tradition slip, even if it meant relying on a can of black-eyed peas to keep the streak alive!

Family Recipes

This year, I turned to a treasured family notebook for a recipe to pair with our black-eyed peas—Kentucky Cornbread. A brother-in-law introduced it to our family years ago, and it’s been a favorite ever since. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it’s also the perfect companion to tomato soup, chili, or just about any meal. Honestly, it’s so good you can even enjoy it on its own!

A quick heads-up, though: this cornbread is generously packed with flavor—and calories. So, if you’re counting those, you might want to save this indulgence for a special occasion!

Growing up on Peas & Cornbread

Peas and cornbread were a year-round staple in our household, whether it was the heat of summer or the chill of winter. In the summer, we enjoyed fresh peas straight from the garden or the truck patch, their flavor unmatched. Come winter, we relied on dried peas harvested earlier in the year, carefully stored in flour sacks, feed sacks, or even pillowcases.

My mother’s dedication to preserving these peas was impressive. Sometimes she canned pint jars of fresh peas, making it easy to heat up a quick, delicious meal. Other times, she would blanch fresh peas and tuck them into the freezer for later. No matter the method, it was a labor of love—and a lot of work!

I still remember the sight of a sack of dried peas (or butterbeans or pinto beans) hanging on a nail in the pantry, ready to be cooked into a comforting meal. Those simple ingredients held so much value in our family.

Harvesting Black-eyed Peas

After gathering all the peas meant for eating, canning, or freezing, we’d leave some on the bush to dry naturally. Once dried, the pods were picked and collected in a cotton picking sack—an extra-long bag, often 5 to 10 feet in length, with a strap that went over your shoulder. Whether used for cotton or dried peas, the sack dragged along as you worked.

To shell the dried peas, we’d place the sack on the ground and stomp around on it, breaking the peas free from their hulls. The next step was separating the hulls from the peas and carefully picking through them to remove any weevils or bad ones. The good peas went straight into a dry bag for storage, with no washing required at this stage.

When it came time to cook, you’d measure out a cup or two, checking them again for any stragglers (weevils, bad peas, etc.), and then rinse and soak them. If you had enough time, you could skip the soaking and simmer them in water for a few hours until they turned tender and delicious.

Cooking Black-eyed Peas

Cooking black-eyed peas, the dried variety, takes a little preparation and time. There is always the question to soCooking dried black-eyed peas takes a bit of preparation and patience, but the results are worth it. One common debate is whether to soak the peas beforehand or cook them straight from dry. Honestly, both methods work well, but I prefer to soak mine overnight—it cuts down on cooking time and makes the process easier.

To start, rinse the dried peas thoroughly and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for a few hours or, even better, overnight. Once soaked, drain the water, transfer the peas to a deep pan, and cover them with fresh water.

This past Christmas, we had ham at our family dinner, and I saved the hambone for just this occasion. It’s now sitting in the freezer, ready to add rich, smoky flavor to the pot of peas.

Cooking the ham bone in water. If it’s frozen, like mine was, simmer it until the bone is thawed and the meat easily pulls away. This step infuses the water with a rich, smoky flavor that will make the peas even more delicious.

Once the ham bone is ready, remove it from the pot and set it aside to cool. Add the pre-soaked black-eyed peas to the flavorful broth. Let them simmer gently, allowing the flavors to blend while the peas cook to tender perfection.

Add more water as needed. Simmer until peas are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Kentucky Cornbread Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream-style corn
• 3-4 bunches of green onions finely chopped
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Green Onions

Chop up the green onions—two bunches worked well for me, including part of the green tops. Once chopped, it came out to about half a cup. Since my family isn’t a fan of big chunks of onion in their food, I made sure to chop them finely. This way, the onions blend seamlessly into the dish, adding flavor without overpowering it.

Mix the cornmeal, oil, eggs, sour cream, cream corn, and onions together. The recipe I had called for 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal, but the batter seemed a little bit thin, so I added a little extra cornmeal.

The 2/3 cup of vegetable is a lot of oil….it really is. I may try changing this on my next batch and reducing that amount to maybe a 1/4 cup and adding some melted butter. You can never go wrong with melted butter…right?

The recipe didn’t say what size can of cream-style corn, so I used a 14.75 oz. Older recipes sometimes leave out some pretty important details! I also added a little salt and pepper.

Cast Iron Skillet

This recipe is perfect for a cast iron skillet! It gives the cornbread crispy edges and even baking every time.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and grease the skillet generously. Pour half of the batter into the skillet, then layer it with sharp shredded cheddar cheese. While the recipe suggested 1/2 cup, I used at least a full cup for extra cheesy goodness. Finally, pour the remaining batter over the cheese layer.

If you’d like, reserve a little of the cheese (or add extra) to sprinkle on top before baking. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cornbread rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve hot and enjoy! 🍞🧀

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