Yield: One big pot of beans
| INGREDIENTS | METRIC (GRAMS) | VOLUMETRIC (APPROXIMATE) |
| Black-eyed peas, dried | 454 | 2½ cups (about 1 pound) |
| Water for cooking | 1,800 | approximately 8 cups |
| Bacon, raw | 143 | 6 to 7 slices (less if thick) |
| Onion | 156 | 1 medium |
| Garlic | 18 | 2 large cloves |
| Salt, fine | 8 | scant 1½ teaspoons |
| Black pepper, ground | 6 | 2 teaspoons |
| Cider vinegar or hot sauce to taste | 2 | ½ teaspoon |
| Water or stock to thin the beans after cooking, if needed | 227 | 1 cup |
PREPARE
Rinse the beans, and remove any stones or debris.
PROCESS
Put the beans into a medium stockpot and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the beans are tender when you bite one, 1 to 2 hours. Add more water as needed so the beans are always covered while cooking.
While the beans cook, dice the bacon into ¼-inch pieces, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.
In a small sauté pan, cook the chopped bacon over low heat until the fat has rendered. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until softened and translucent.
Add the bacon mixture to the beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, add the cider vinegar or hot sauce to balance the natural sweetness of the beans.