Black-Eyed Peas

• 1/4 cup rendered bacon fat
• 2 small onions, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 1 pound smoked pork jowls
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, as needed
• Cooked rice, for serving

1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the bacon fat and sweat the onions and celery in the bacon fat until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the black-eyed peas and pork jowls and cover with 2 inches of water.
4. Add the bay leaves, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot.
5. Simmer the peas until tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if need be to make sure the peas are covered by 2 inches of liquid while cooking.
6. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.
7. Serve over rice.

bacon, onions, celery, blackeyed peas, pork jowls, bay leaves, salt, sauce, rice

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/black-eyed-peas.html (may not work)