The Unfinished Fight
By Craig L. Barry · Originally published July-August 2025 · pp. 18–19
THE UNFINISHED FIGHT: HOPPIN JOHN AND LIMPIN SUSAN
Atraditional New Year’s dinner in the South during the mid-19th century would not be complete without serving the famous dish known as Hoppin John. It is a single pot concoction consisting of field peas, bacon, and rice. It is usually served with greens and cornbread. Consuming the meal as described was associated with improving one’s fortunes during the coming year. The rice, beans, and cornbread formed a complete high protein meal that was both inexpensive and filling. There is considerable debate on the name “Hoppin John” which may be an idiom for inviting friends to dinner, as in “Hop in John.” It could be an anglicized appropriation of an African term for the type of peas that were used. Such things can never really be fully known as the origins are not recorded. The first known recipe for it was published in 1847 in The Carolina Housewife: House and Home by Sarah Rutledge (p. 69) is as follows:
sometimes features ham hocks in place of bacon or salt pork. However, the traditional version specifies red peas, which are alternately known as crowder peas, cow peas or field peas. The black-eyed peas are a close cousin, but if you live in the South, stick with the original red peas. The rice, being originally a low country Carolina recipe, would be a long-grained white rice. Limpin Susan is not Hoppin John’s wife, as one modern cookbook suggested. It is a nearly identical dish that substitutes okra in place of red peas and often includes bell
Hoppin John One pound of bacon One pint of red peas One pint of rice. First, put on the peas and when half boiled add the bacon; when the peas are well boiled throw in the rice which must be first washed and graveled. When the rice has been boiling for half an hour, take the pot off the fire and put it on coals to steam, as in boiling rice alone. Put a quart of water on the peas at first, and if it boils away too much, add a little more hot water. Season with salt and pepper and if liked, a sprig of green mint. In serving up, put the rice and peas first on the dish and the bacon on top. A modern variation calls for more widely available black-eyed peas in place of field peas or crowder peas and
Union soldiers preparing their mess. (Library of Congress)
pepper and white onion. Okra seems to have traveled from West Africa to the Caribbean islands along with the slave trade and was firmly entrenched in American gardens by the 18th century. In the 1780s Thomas Jefferson noted that okra was a common garden plant; other references to okra can be found across the Chesapeake region as well as the Carolina low country. An alternate name for the dish is Okra Pilaf. In some parts of the South, it is a Christmas tradition, but it is not tied to any certain holiday in the same way Hoppin John associates with New Year’s Day. Here is a traditional recipe for Limpin Susan:
Recipe for Limping Susan 5 strips of bacon 1/2 pound okra, tops trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds 1 cup long-grain rice 1 medium onion diced 1 green bell pepper diced 2 cups vegetable broth One teaspoon hot pepper sauce Salt and pepper to taste
First, sauté the bacon until crisp, retaining the grease. Stir in the diced okra, cook together for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the rice, vegetables, stock, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook over medium-low heat until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cook uncovered while stirring occasionally, until rice is fairly dry.
Craig L. Barry was born in Charlottesville, Va. H e holds his BA and M asters degrees from UNC (Charlotte). Craig served The Watchdog Civil War Quarterly as Associate Editor and Editor from 2003– 2017. The Watchdog published books and columns on 19th-century material. He is the author of several books including The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (2006, 2011), The Unfinished Fight: Essays on Confederate Material Culture Vol. I and II (2012, 2013). He has also published four books in the Suppliers to the Confederacy series on English Arms & Accoutrements, Quartermaster stores and other European imports.
Cooking in camp. (Library of Congress)
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.