A New Years Day Feast

A southern tradition with a twist.

Dinner

My Thoughts

The New Year's Day Feast might be an overstatement, but it is a lot of food. It has a nice big, bone-in pork chop with a creamy sweet potato (which keeps The Picky Eater on board). It also checks all the boxes for the southern New Year's Day tradition of having black-eyed peas, greens, and hogs jowl, of which The Picky Eater is very suspect (she actually really liked the A Bowl Of Happy New Year). There's really nothing special happening here as far as crazy ingredients (no, the bowl is not crazy if you live or grew up in the south - it's tradition). It's really a matter of seasoning properly and cooking it perfectly (which you will do if you follow the instructions).

The How To Do It

  1. This is a complete meal. Follow the instructions for each of the individual portions (they follow after this).

Bad Murphy Barbecue Sauce

  1. Mince one medium shallot. I like shallots for this because they are a little milder in taste and a little sweeter, but you could use a quarter of a red onion if that's what you've got.
  2. If you are using the completely optional hot peppers, dice them up now. If you are using the peppers be sure to wear latex gloves and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES! The capsaicin (the chemical in a pepper that makes it hot) can make your skin burn as well as your mouth and I cannot even imagine getting it in my eyes (best to beware of touching ANY sensitive parts).
  3. Sauté the shallots (and peppers if you are going that route) in a medium saucepan.
  4. Another warning about the peppers. Be careful about leaning over the pot while sauteing. The capsaicin can be vaporized with the water and get into your eyes as well. It wouldn't be quite as bad as getting it directly in, but it still would not be fun.
  5. Add the beer (I use something like a summer ale - light, fruity and not too strong of a flavor) and let cook for about five minutes.
  6. Add the ketchup, molasses, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, spicy mustard, and apple cider vinegar and stir to combine.
  7. Next, add all the dry ingredients and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. This is to let the dry spices heat up and release any stored-up oils into the sauce (it just tastes better when you do this).
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Basic Baked Sweet Potato

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, coat them in olive oil and a salt, and wrap them individually with aluminum foil.
  3. Bake for at least 3-3.5 hours or until soft.
  4. Take the potatoes out of the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes, or until they are cool enough to take out of the aluminum foil.
  5. Cut a slit into each one and add whatever topping(s) you like. I prefer just butter and maybe a little salt (if the butter is unsalted). The Picky Eater sometimes likes hers with honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
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Dry Rub

  1. Mix everything into a bowl and store it away until you need it - that's it, you're done.
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A Bowl Of Happy New Year!

  1. Cut six strips of the hogs jowl into small cubes about 1/4 - 1/2-inch pieces and cook them over medium high heat for 10-15 minutes, or until they are cooked through and a good portion of the fat has rendered off.
  2. While the hogs jowl is cooking dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. In a Dutch oven, place either 2 tablespoons of oil or 2 tablespoons of renderings from the hogs jowl, and heat it over medium high heat.
  4. Once the oil is hot, saute the onions for 4-5 minutes and then add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  5. Add the champagne and cook it down until it is reduced by about half (usually about 5 minutes).
  6. Add the black-eyed peas and mix everything.
  7. Next add the cooked hogs jowl and chopped greens and stir until the greens are nicely wilted.
  8. Add the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and barbecue sauce and mix thoroughly.
  9. Cover and cook for 30 minutes over low heat (I have an electric range so I have to use another eye, simply reducing the heat keeps everything way too hot).
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Roasted Dry Rub Pork Chops

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
  2. Coat the chops with olive oil and a liberal amount of the dry rub seasoning (recipe follows or use your favorite from the store).
  3. In a 12-inch cast iron heat two tablespoons of oil (or if you're frying bacon for any other reason, use the drippings) over medium-high heat.
  4. Sear the first side for 4 minutes or until the it is nice and brown on the outside and a nice crust forms.
  5. Flip and sear the second side 2 minutes.
  6. Place a thermometer into one of the chops and move the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the thermometer reads 155° (if you don't like the idea of see the recipe for Filet Mignon and the bit about thermometers).
  7. Remove the chops from the oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
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Ingredients

A Bowl Of Happy New Year!
2 potatoes
baked sweet potatoes
2 cups
hogs jowl, black-eyed peas, and greens bowl
2 chops
roasted dry rub pork chops
Barbecue Sauce For A Bowl Of Happy New Year!
2 cups
ketchup
1 med
shallot
½ cup
beer
¼ cup
molasses
¼ cup
honey
1 tbsp
dijon mustard
1 tbsp
hot whole grain mustard
1 tsp
cayenne pepper
1 tsp
ancho chili powder
1 tsp
chipolte chili powder
2 tsp
granulated garlic
1 tbsp
smoked paprika
1 tsp
smoked tumeric
1 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce
½ cup
apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp
avocado oil
½ tsp
kosher salt
½ tsp
black pepper
Baked Sweet Potatoes
2 potatoes
sweet potato
2 tsp
kosher salt
1 tbsp
olive oil
1 tbsp
salted butter
*optional
1 tsp
brown sugar
*optional
½ tsp
honey
*optional
Dry Rub For Pork Chop
1 tbsp
smoked paprika
1 tbsp
granulated garlic
1 tbsp
black pepper
½ tbsp
ancho chili powder
½ tbsp
chipolte chili powder
1 tsp
corriander
*dried cilantro seeds
1 tsp
mustard powder
1 tsp
celery salt
2 tbsp
kosher salt
Hogs Jowl, Black-Eyed Peas, and Greens Bowl
1 cup
hogs jowl
*diced
2 cups
turnip greens
15 ozs
black-eyed peas
1 sml
red onion
¼ cup
champagne
*optional
1 tbsp
barbecue sauce
*recipe follows
2 tbsp
olive oil
1 tsp
granulated garlic
½ tsp
kosher salt
½ tsp
black pepper
Roasted Pork Chops
2 chops
pork chops
*1.5-inch
2 tsp
dry rub
2 tbsp
olive oil
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