How much is a bushel of purple hull peas?
$25 for a bushel (28 pounds) or $1.25/lb otherwise.
Seasons/Availability
Purple Hull peas are available in the late spring through early fall.
Vigna unguiculata subsp. Purplehull peas, also referred to as "Purple Hull" peas, are a very popular category of Southern peas.
Yes, these are all names for field peas, each name as unique as each pea is in its own way. Mississippi Silver, Colossus, Cow, Clemson Purple, Pinkeye Purple Hull, Texas Cream, Queen Anne, and Dixie Lee are all familiar southern pea names.
How long will fresh shelled purple hull peas keep in the fridge? They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Wash them off and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you want to store peas for longer, you can freeze them.
Store peas unwashed, unshelled in the refrigerator in a perforated bag or unsealed container that will allow some air to circulate around them. They will keep for several days. Fresh peas can be blanched in boiling water for one to two minutes and subsequently frozen for up to six months.
Can you eat purple hull peas raw? The pods and seeds can be harvested at multiple stages of maturity, and when young, both the pods and seeds are edible and can be stir-fried as a vegetable, lightly cooked and tossed into salads, or blanched as a simple and fresh side dish.
“Nutritionally, southern peas {the purple hull pea is a member of the southern pea family} are a good source of protein and one of the best sources of dietary fiber available. They are also very high in folate, a form of B vitamin that is important in the prevention of anemia, cancer and birth defects.
Beans and some other legumes, such as peas and lentils, have a reputation for causing gas. Beans contain high amounts of a complex sugar called raffinose, which the body has trouble breaking down.
Most of the purple hull pea varieties produce pink-eyed beans, hence, some of the names. One variety, however, produces a larger brown bean or crowder. Called the Knuckle Purple hull, it is a compact bush variety that matures at 60 days with a resulting stronger flavor than its counterparts.
Are purple hull peas actually beans?
If you like blackeye peas, then you'll love purple hull peas. Don't let the name fool you! They are indeed beans—tender, plump, colorful, beautiful beans.
Southern Purple Hull Peas or Pink Eyes are a delicious variety of field peas. While they're all similar, each adds its own unique quality.
Peas especially benefit from blanching prior to freezing; don't skip this step. Peas frozen without blanching will be mushier and lose much more flavor. Fill a blanching pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. If you don't have a blanching pot you can put them in a colander or just straight into the pot.
A Little About Purple Hull Peas: Curing and Storing - YouTube
The peas are edible at each stage. Snaps can be eaten raw, macerated in vinaigrette, or gently cooked, similar to haricots vert. Freshly shelled beans from mature pods should be cooked and can also be frozen for storage to good effect. Dried beans keep for months and rebound quickly when soaked.
A bushel weighs 30 pounds and yields 5 to 10 quarts – an average of 4-1/2 pounds per quart. Quality: Select filled pods containing young, tender, sweet seeds.
A: A bushel is a measure of volume but usually peas will weigh between 20 and 26 pounds. And by the way, 1 Bushel = 4 Pecks.
Sow your first purple hull peas in April or May -- whenever air temperatures are reliably above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and soil temperatures are above 60 degrees. For a continued harvest, sow peas every two weeks. Purple hulls are bush-type legumes that appreciate a support structure such as stakes or tepee trellises.
| Table 3. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product | Retail Volume | Processed Yield |
| Peas, English green (unshelled) | bushel | 1 bu = 12 to 15 pt. frozen 3 to 6 lb. = 1 qt. canned |
| peck | ||
| Peas, Southern | bushel hamper | 3 1/2 - 4 = 1 qt. |
