Hopping John

Down South, Hopping John on New Year’s Day means a year of good luck and prosperity, no matter how the year actually shakes out. This version leans on Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies for heat that traditional versions sometimes lack, and the bacon grease used to soften the onions builds a smoky base you can taste through every spoonful.

Long-grain rice holds its shape in the pot and won’t go mushy through the cook and rest. That ten-minute simmer plus a fifteen-minute off-heat rest is what lets the rice finish gently in the residual steam, absorbing tomato juice without going gluey.

The bacon goes on top at the end for crunch and a fresh smoky kick rather than blending into the pot.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the rice as it comes to a boil, white grains love to stick to the bottom and scorch.
• Stay traditional with black-eyed peas for true Hopping John, though red beans or kidney beans work in a pinch.
• Save the extra bacon grease in a jar in the fridge, it’s the foundation flavor for plenty of Southern dishes.
• Don’t shortcut the 15-minute rest off heat, this is when the rice finishes cooking and the flavors marry.

Variations

• Add a smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wing along with the beans for even deeper smoky depth.
• Swap white rice for brown if you don’t mind the longer cook time, add another 15 minutes and a half cup of water.
• Sub diced fresh jalapenos for the canned green chilies for a brighter, fresher heat profile.