How To Freeze Black-Eyed Peas

Properly frozen, black-eyed peas will keep for months.

Black-eyed peas don't belong to the legume family. They actually are lentils. Until the Civil War, these humble peas were used mainly to feed cattle. However, hungry townsfolk during the Battle of Vicksburg decided to eat "cowpeas" and found them to be a good source of fiber. Today, people regularly grow black-eyed peas in gardens and fields. If you have an abundance of these tasty peas, you may store them in the freezer. Does this Spark an idea?

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Colander
Large pot
Slotted spoon
Freezer bags

Instructions

- 1
  
  Shell and wash the peas in a colander. Pick through the peas, removing any that are broken or discolored.
- 2
  
  Bring a pot of water to a boil. "Blanch" the peas by pouring them into the boiling water.
- 3
  
  Cook the peas for two minutes. Rinse the colander and place it in the sink.
- 4
  
  Pour the cooked peas in the colander. Fill the pot with a few inches of cold water. Dump the hot peas in the cold water.
- 5
  
  Scoop the peas up with a slotted spoon, placing them inside a freezer bag. Fill the bag just 1 inch short of the opening. Freeze the peas in the freezer at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Frozen black-eyed peas will keep for 10 to 12 months.