Best Old Fashioned Butter Beans Ham Recipes

SOUTHERN LIMA BEANS WITH HAM

Steps:

• Rinse and sort the beans. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the rinsed beans, ham hock, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat slightly just so that it's at a low boil, and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce heat again just so that the liquid is simmering. Cover and cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until beans are tender. Check the beans after 1 hour, because they may be soft enough at that point if you like your beans a bit more firm. If you prefer the beans really soft and broken down, you may prefer to extend the cooking time to 2 hours. While the beans are cooking, check to occasionally make sure that the beans are covered with water (adding more water, if necessary). Discard bay leaf, remove ham hock from the pot, and shred or chop the meat. Return chopped meat to the pot with the beans. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish individual servings with hot sauce and herbs; serve with cornbread.

SOUTHERN BUTTER BEANS RECIPE

Steps:

• Now, you can choose to soak the beans overnight if you want, but you really don't have to. Either way, the first step is to wash the beans, and then put them in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and let it sit for 1 hour.
• After the beans have sat, drain the water and put the beans to the side. Add the oil to the pot and sauté the ham hocks and onions together, until the onion is clear and tender. Then add garlic and sauté about 2 minutes more. Add the beans and cover with water. Add pepper and salt (only about 1 teaspoon of salt at first).
• Bring to a boil; stir, reduce heat, and cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Keep checking the water level and stirring every once in a while. Add more water if needed. Keep that water just about an inch above the beans. Cook until beans are tender, more salt here is optional. And oh the gravy this makes, oh my... so good! Serve over rice

SOUTHERN LIMA BUTTER BEANS WITH HAM BITS

Steps:

• Bring water to boil and add beans, ham bits, bacon drippings, salt and black pepper.
• Cook on a low simmer heat for 1 1/2 hours. Some water will evaporate, but let at least 2 cups remain. Check frequently to not let water completely boil out.