BACON JOWL RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash and sort black eyed peas, removing any hulls or stones. Drain well, set aside.
• In a large dutch oven, cook hog jowl in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned and crispy. Add drained black eyed peas and enough water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer covered about 1 1/2 hours. Add water as necessary to keep peas covered, but not to make soup. This should be more of a thick stew consistency. Stir to prevent sticking on bottom. If it starts sticking, lower heat.
• Uncover, stir in chopped onion, and continue to simmer about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may not need much salt because hog jowl tends to be salty. But be sure to make it peppery.

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slice the jowl into desired thickness strips, like bacon.
• Part of the jowl can be cut into hunks for seasoning of beans and greens.
• Wrap any sections for freezing in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
• Place wrapped sections in a Ziplock type bag and place in freezer for use later.
• Heat a skillet to just below Medium heat on your stove top.
• Place the slices of jowl in the warm skillet.
• Turn jowl slices as needed, to prevent burning, and cook until fat is translucent and browned.
• Remove from pan, place on paper towels and drain.
• Save remaining grease from skillet by placing in a container and storing in refrigerator.
• Use leftover grease just as you would any type of bacon grease for seasoning and cooking.
• Serve the cooked hog jowl slices while warm.
• Enjoy!