How to Fix Fresh Southern Purple Hull Peas

This year we experimented with freezing our fresh, hand-shelled purple hull peas in a pillowcase in the deep freezer. I couldn't wait to cook up a big pot of them. They are so easy to fix and don't require as much cooking as dried beans/peas. Even my Mother, who literally said she didn't like them (and had never eaten them in her life) ended up liking them, eating them and taking some home.

After you sort through for bad peas, in a pot, drop 2 cups of frozen, uncooked purple hull peas. Cover them with water. Bring them to a boil. Let them cook for about 20 minutes. Drain the first boiling of water and the purple-gray foam off. Cover with water again and drop in a ham hock or leftover bacon grease. Stir every so often. Let the peas cook for about 30 minutes. Check to see if they need additional water. Taste the broth. Add salt to taste. Let peas continue to cook until they reach the desired texture you want. Serve with cornbread.