Best Southern Lima Butter Beans With Ham Bits 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.

SLOW COOKER SOUTHERN LIMA BEANS AND HAM

Steps:

• Soak lima beans in 2 quarts of water in a large bowl for 8 hours or overnight. The next day, drain the lima beans and place into a slow cooker with onions, ham bone, and ham. Pour in 3 cups of water or as needed to cover. Place lid on the cooker, set to High, and cook for 3 hours.
• Stir in Cajun seasoning, black pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper; set cooker to Low and cook until the beans and meat are very tender, about 4 more hours.

OLD FASHIONED BUTTER BEANS & HAM

Steps:

• Half fill a large saucepan with water and stir in the beans, ham hock, quartered onion, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans, reserving all of the liquid and discarding the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Transfer beans to a bowl and the ham hock to a cutting board. Cut the meat into small pieces (you should have about 1 cup). Discard the bones. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the ham and enough bean liquid to make the beans soupy (about 2 cups); bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste; heat for 3 minutes or until hot. Ladle into bowls (I like to add a couple of drops of catsup) and serve with warm fresh homemade bread and butter.