1. Set the Instant Pot to the “sauté” function for 7 minutes. Coat the bottom of the pot with the oil. Once the oil is shimmering; toss in the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño mixture. Cook the aromatics together until tender, stirring frequently, about 6-7 minutes.
2. Toss in the garlic and continue cooking for another 1 minute.
3. Add the bay leaves, cajun seasoning, worcestershire, smoked meat, black-eyed peas, and chicken stock into the pot. Stir everything together to combine and place the lid onto the pot to lock in place.
4. Set the Instant Pot to the “manual” or “pressure cook” function and set the timing to 35 minutes. After the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally in the “vent” position for about 7-10 minutes or until all the steam has ceased.
5. Unlock the lid and remove the smoked meat from the pot, set aside to cool down for a few minutes before handling. Stir the mixture together. Then back to the meat, use two forks or your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) to tear the meat off the bones into bite-sized pieces. Add the pieces of meat back into the pot.
6. Stir everything together to fully combine, then remove the bay leaves from the pot. At this stage, the mixture will look very brothy. Use a potato masher to break up some of the peas, just a few strokes is all that’s needed. This will break down some of the peas which will result in the mixture taking on a creamier consistency- stir to combine.
7. Taste the peas and season with more cajun seasoning, if desired. Serve immediately with a garnish of freshly chopped parsley and cooked white rice or cornbread for extra comforting vibes. Enjoy!

Stovetop Instructions:

1. First, you need to soak your peas. You can choose two different kinds of soaking methods. Cover the peas with cold water in a large bowl and let them soak overnight. For a faster soak alternative, bring about 6-7 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Then add in the peas and remove the pot from heat. Let the peas soak in the hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After soaking, drain off the water from the peas and set them aside.
2. At this point you will basically follow the exact steps written above, apart from cooking everything in a large dutch oven or stock pot on the stove. Sauté the aromatics over medium heat (steps 1-2).
3. After bringing everything together (in step 3), cover the pot with a lid. The cooking time on the stove will be about 45 minutes to 1 hour long (or until the peas are tender) over medium heat. Be sure to go back to the pot every so often to check on and stir the peas. If at any point you see the pot needs more liquid to prevent sticking or is evaporating too quickly, simply add in a splash more stock/broth or water. Reduce heat to medium-low, if needed.
4. Remove smoked meat and tear the meat off the bones. Add pieces of meat back into pot and stir to combine. Use a potato masher to break up some of the peas, just a few strokes is all that’s needed. This will break down some of the peas which will result in the mixture taking on a creamier consistency- stirring to combine.
5. Taste the peas and season with more cajun seasoning, if desired.