Dave's Georgia Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon 
• 2 pounds black-eyed peas dried
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 8 cubes chicken bouillon 
• 1 pound ham cooked cut into bite-size pieces
• 16 servings salt and pepper black to taste
• 12 cups water 
• 2 large onions yellow chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• pot

Directions

1. Rinse, pick over, and place the peas in a large bowl. Cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight.
2. Pour the water into a large saucepan or soup pot.
3. Add the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the bouillon. Stir in the peas, reduce heat, and bring to a simmer.
4. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
5. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
6. Melt the butter in the pan with the bacon grease; cook and stir the onions until they begin to turn brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Stir the onions and cooking fat into the peas; add the crumbled bacon, ham, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the peas over low heat for 8 hours, stirring every hour.