Black Eyed Peas

[LibraryLady]

From time to time some in this group talk about the pain of cooking BEP. I don't get it.

If I have fresh ones, they cook in no time...about the same as fresh green beans.
Dried ones, I wash, put in pan with boiling water, little ham or bacon, salt and cook. They are done in a much shorter time than pinto beans.
I don't want mine cooked to mush, just soft peas. I doubt the dried peas take 2 hours, but pintos take at least 4 hours, maybe more. I allow "all day" and don't really time them.

Mine are simmering now. They were fresh when I put them in the freezer last summer.

[Red Oak]

The hard part of black eyes is bending over picking them

[millergrovesue]

I want mine cooked to mush. That takes cooking forever and a half.

The age of the dried peas/beans has a lot to do with cooking time. I learned never to buy dark pinto beans because they will never become soft. I don't know how to tell when BEPs are old.

[PlanoSooner]

I want mine cooked to mush. That takes cooking forever and a half.

The age of the dried peas/beans has a lot to do with cooking time. I learned never to buy dark pinto beans because they will never become soft. I don't know how to tell when BEPs are old.

yep. old peas take forever.
there are internet sites that sell 'fresh'

also. my water is hard. takes longer to cook.
buy a couple of gallons of ozarka water to cook with. helps a lot. ozarka softens their water during their purifying processes.