Crock-Pot Black-Eyed Peas with Smoked Turkey

# Components:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Meats

02 - 1 smoked turkey leg, approximately 1 pound

→ Pantry

03 - 6 cups water

04 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

05 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Rinse and sort the dried black-eyed peas under cold water, discarding any debris or damaged peas.

02 - Transfer the prepared peas to a 6-quart slow cooker and nestle the smoked turkey leg on top.

03 - Pour 6 cups of water over the peas and turkey leg, then add salt and black pepper.

04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH setting for 4 to 5 hours, until peas are tender and creamy.

05 - Remove the turkey leg from the slow cooker. Shred the meat, discarding skin and bones, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly.

06 - Taste the dish and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot, optionally over rice or with cornbread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It practically cooks itself while you go about your day, leaving your kitchen smelling like pure comfort.
One smoked turkey leg does all the heavy lifting—no fussy techniques or constant stirring required.
The peas absorb every bit of that smoky, savory flavor until they're creamy and luxurious without a drop of cream.

02 -

Do not skip the sorting step—I learned this after biting down on a stone, and now I treat it like a meditation, actually looking at each pea as I rinse them.
The low setting is your friend; rushing this on high might cook the peas faster but they'll lose that silky, almost buttery texture that makes this dish special.
Taste frequently in the last hour of cooking because salt levels build over time, and what seemed perfectly seasoned at the start might be too much by the end.

03 -