butter beans

A simple one pot meal combining Lima Beans and Rice seasoned with ham hock. Can be made with dry, fresh, or frozen beans.

Lima Beans with Ham Hocks and Rice Recipe

Ham Hock (12-oz)

Lima Beans (16-oz)

Rice, uncooked

Black Pepper

Sugar

Sort through the dry beans, removing any discolored beans, rocks or trash.

Place the beans in a large bowl, cover with about 3 inches of water.

Next Day, fill a large stock pot about half full with water.

Place the pot over Medium heat on your stove top.

Once the water begins to boil, add the ham hock.

Let the ham hock cook for about 20 minutes, then skim off any foam that might be on top.

Let the beans cook  uncovered for about an hour, stirring once or twice in the process.

Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring at least once.

Keep an eye on the level of liquid in the pot. Add warm water or broth as needed.

I grew up on dry beans and cornbread. If we had ham, mom would use it or bacon and even just the bacon grease to season. Iron skillet fried taters always accompanied them. Green onions or sliced onions that had been soaked in water and sliced maters. I've just made myself hungry but that is good eating. Never had the rice with them but I will try it.

EXCELLENT !! Thank you for including this recipe in all of your other wonderful southern recipes !! This is a wonderful cold weather meal and filling !! We ate this many a day and way back in the day, you could buy a bag of lima beans for 32 cents and it could feed a large family especially when paired with rice and cornbread. For those who have never tried this, they should ...it tastes way better than it looks ... Thanks again Steve and May God Bless you abundantly !!

Hi Steve, I am 71 and grew up on beans and vegs. Meat was optional ( scarce) but Granma at least had a little bacon drippins on hand. I wonder if you have ever tried this in a Instant pot? My grandkids gave me a 6 qt for xmas and I have tried a couple of things with mixed results. This old dog is trying new tricks. I did make a pot of speckled butter beans and cajun smoked turkey wings ( both frozen) turned out great. I would like to try this recipe in t e ip though. god bless Steve.

Hi Steve,Thanks for all you do I look forward to your newsletters and recipes.I love butter beans.Well honestly I love all kinds of beans and peas.Was wondering if you have a recipe for fried pea patties,i would like to cook some.I am looking for the snow to come in here in ALABAMA.Hope it passes me by.I hope you get enough dried apples,maybe make some fried apple pies,share the recipe.Stay warm and well.

A delicious and comforting Southern American dish. For a thicker stew, try adding okra at the same time as the butter beans and sweetcorn. Delicious served with <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/wild_garlic_cornbread_82867">cornbread</a>

Succotash

vegetable oil

onion,

celery sticks, diced

red pepper, diced

green pepper, diced

butternut squash

courgette,

garlic cloves, crushed

tarragon, leaves picked

sweetcorn

tin butter beans, drained and rinsed

A low carb, butter bean and mushroom curry, made with coconut milk and turmeric for extra richness and a polyphenol boost!

Butter Bean and Mushroom Curry with Cauliflower Rice &amp; Spinach

mushrooms, sliced

cauliflower rice

spinach

shallot,

garlic clove, finely minced

Madras curry powder

turmeric

ginger

chilli, finely chopped (optional)

vegetable stock cube

coconut milk powder

coriander

Heat a splash of water in a medium lidded saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened. Tip in the turmeric, curry powder, ginger, and chilli then cook for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in sliced mushrooms, butter beans, vegetable stock cube and half of the chopped coriander.  Place the lid on the saucepan and allow to cook for 6 minutes. The mushrooms should release some liquid. If they don&#8217;t and the pan gets too dry, add a small splash of water and then adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper if necessary.

Add the coconut milk powder and the remaining chopped coriander, cook for 2 minutes then take the pan off the heat.

The curry sauce should be very light, but if you want it thicker, dissolve around 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water. Add a little at a time to the curry, stirring frequently until it reaches your desired consistency then take the pan off the heat.

For the curry

Southern Lima Beans (Butter Beans)

lima beans

smoked ham hock*

water

salt

black pepper

Rinse the beans and check for any foreign particles.

Add the beans to a large pot or dutch oven. Add the ham hock, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low boil, and cook for about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover tightly and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender to your liking. Add water to keep the beans just covered. Stir less frequently to allow the beans to stay intact, or stir more often to create a thick, rich broth. Be sure to see the blog post for details. Add the pepper and additional salt to taste. If desired, remove the hock, shred the meat, and return it to the pot.

Place beans, water, ham hock, salt and pepper in a 6 quart slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 5 hours (or low for 7 to 8 hours) or until the beans are tender to your liking. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. If needed, add hot water to the beans to keep them covered as to not drop the temperature as they cook. If desired, remove the hock, shred the meat, and return it to the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Method:

Here is a midwinter cook-up of deep fragrance and lingering heat, a trade-wind stew that emerged in Jamaica and made its way north. It is oxtail stew, brown and steaming, light with ginger and thyme, pungent with allspice and soy, a taste of the Caribbean to warm winter’s heart. You could make and eat it today while reading Derek Walcott poems as the afternoon vagues into indigo — or allow it to cure into greater magnificence overnight, and stretch out its gravy for the course of a week.

Paired with bowls of <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014723-coconut-rice-with-peas">coconut-scented rice and peas</a>, a staple of the Caribbean diet, it makes for an excellent family dinner or a transporting lunch, as if the flavors within it were a spur to memories of better times, in warmer climes, with soft sand on your feet and a kiss of sun upon your shoulders.

Jamaican Oxtail Stew

oxtails,

Kosher salt

black pepper,

brown sugar

Spanish onions,

garlic,

ginger,

Scotch bonnet pepper, whole

thyme

allspice berries

scallions,

white sugar

soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

flour

tomato ketchup

butter beans,

Season oxtails aggressively with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add brown sugar to pot and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it darkens and starts to smoke ­— about six minutes. When sugar is nearly black, add 2 tablespoons boiling water. (It will splatter.) Stir to mix.

Add the oxtails to the pot, working in batches, stirring each time to cover them with blackened sugar, then allowing them to cook, turning occasionally, until they are well browned. Remove oxtails to a bowl and keep warm.

Add half of the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with the pepper, the thyme, the allspice and a third of the scallions, and stir to combine. Allow to cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.

Return the oxtails to the pot along with any accumulated juices and put water into the pot so that the oxtails are almost submerged. Bring to a simmer and then cook, covered, approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with another third of the scallions. Add sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and continue to cook until the meat is yielding and loose on the bone, approximately one hour longer. Remove approximately one cup of liquid from pot and place in a small bowl. Add flour to this liquid and stir to combine, working out any lumps with the back of a spoon. Add this slurry to the pot along with ketchup, then stir to combine and allow to cook a further 15 minutes or so. Remove Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme stems. Fold butter beans into the stew and allow these to heat through. Scatter remaining scallions over the top. Serve with white rice or rice and peas.

Blend leeks and butter beans to make this filling winter soup. Top with crispy chorizo and rosemary for a final flourish and serve with crusty bread

Leek, butter bean & crispy chorizo soup

unsalted butter

olive oil,

leeks,

garlic clove, crushed

butter

stock

fraîche,

chorizo,

rosemary sprigs, leaves

Heat the butter and a glug of olive oil in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/test-best-casserole-dishes">casserole</a> over a medium heat. Add the leeks and fry for 15 mins until softened and beginning to turn golden brown. Stir through the garlic and cook for a further 1 min.

Tip the butter beans into the pan, pour over the hot stock and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins. Blitz to a smooth consistency with a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-hand-blenders">hand-held blender</a>, then stir in the crème fraîche and season to taste. Keep warm over a low heat.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, fry the chorizo in a small glug of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat for 5 mins or until oily and crispy. Stir in the rosemary, cooking for a further minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the rosemary and chorizo mixture, as well as any oil left in the pan. Serve with some crusty bread.

These roasted beans are treated in much the same way as toasted gnocchi, and yield similar results: They’re nicely browned on the surface, then coated in an unctuous, lemony, buttery sauce. Make sure to have your pesto and warm brown-butter sauce ready to pour onto the beans right when they come out of the oven, so that the beans remain crispy and the sauce nice and loose. For a vegetarian version, you can swap out the anchovies for some briny capers and leave out the Parmesan. The whole experience is quite rich, so serve these with some lightly cooked leafy greens.

Brown-Butter Butter Beans With Lemon and Pesto

(drained) home-cooked, canned or jarred butter beans (about 2 1/4 pounds 1 kilogram)

olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

Parmesan

15 grams packed roughly chopped parsley

lemon

unsalted butter (2 sticks)

garlic cloves,

anchovies,

red-pepper flakes

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius. Dry the butter beans very well, then spread them out onto 2 large parchment-lined baking sheets (trays). Add 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper to each baking sheet, toss gently to combine, then spread the beans in an even layer. Roast for 15 minutes, then carefully turn over the butter beans and return to the oven, swapping the positions of both baking sheets. Roast until nicely browned and crispy, another 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t worry if some of the butter beans are broken or split; this lends plenty of crisp texture.

While the beans roast, make the pesto: Add the Parmesan, parsley, scallions, lemon zest, a good pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper to a food processor, and pulse a few times to finely chop. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and blitz until combined. Transfer to a bowl, stir in 4 teaspoons lemon juice, and set aside.

Add the butter to a large skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Once melted, cook for 4 to 5 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until beginning to brown and smell nutty. Add the garlic (it will bubble vigorously) and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the anchovies and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more, or until the garlic is very lightly golden. Stir in the red-pepper flakes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining lemon juice.

Using the parchment paper as a sling, transfer the roasted butter beans to a large platter or divide among plates. Pour the brown butter mixture on top. Dot with some of the pesto, and serve right away, passing the remaining pesto in a bowl alongside.

Use sausages as the base for this easy summer traybake. It's packed with artichokes, new potatoes, butter beans, tomatoes and fresh pesto, and is delicious with crusty bread

Potato, pesto & sausage traybake

red onion

potatoes

artichokes

cherry tomatoes

spring onions

pork sausages

fennel seeds

can flageolet or butter beans

vegetable stock

pesto

bread (optional)

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Toss the red onion, potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, spring onions, sausages, fennel seeds and lemon wedges together in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/kimberley-wilsons-top-5-baking-trays">baking tray</a> or 20 x 20cm baking dish. Drizzle over the oil and season to taste (you won’t need a lot of salt, as the sausages can be quite salty).

Roast for 20 mins, then add the beans and stock. Roast for 35 mins more, then remove from the oven, swirl through the pesto and serve with crusty bread, if you like.

This super-satisfying, vegetarian bean burger makes a cheap and easy after-work meal for all the family

Cheesy bean burgers

can butter beans

onion

garlic

Wensleydale cheese (or vegetarian alternative), crumbled

plain flour

egg beaten

fresh white breadcrumbs

punnet cherry tomatoes

bag rocket

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the butter beans into a bowl and mash with a fork to form a rough purée. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook over a gentle heat for 3-4 mins, until softened.

Stir the onion mixture into the butter beans, along with the cheese, then season. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, cover and chill for 10 mins.

Put the cherry tomatoes in a small roasting tin and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 mins, until tender.

Tip the flour, egg and breadcrumbs onto three separate plates. Roll each patty in the flour, dusting off any excess, carefully roll in the egg, then finally coat in the breadcrumbs.

Heat remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and add burgers. Cook for 8-10 mins, turning occasionally until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the roasted tomatoes and rocket.

Tender and creamy old fashioned butter beans are a classic Southern comfort dish served as the main attraction or side dish.  Beans from scratch starting with large lima beans.

Classic Butter Beans

garlic powder

Creole seasoning

red pepper

bay leaves

salted butter

ham (optional)

Sort and rinse the beans. Beans do not need to be soaked.

Place the beans into a large saucepan with enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two.

Place the pan of beans over high heat and cook just until boiling.

Remove the beans from the heat and cover with a lid and allow the beans to sit for at least one hour.

Drain the beans and rinse again.

Place the beans back into the pan and cover with water to cover.

Place the beans back on the stove and bring to a boil. When the beans begin to boil reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the remaining ingredients, except ham if using, and stir well to combine.

Allow the beans to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary.

If using ham, allow the beans to cook at least an hour before adding the ham.

When beans are tender, remove from heat and serve with cornbread or over rice for a complete meal.

Butter beans cooked the old-fashioned way with bacon and just a little sugar.

Butter Beans Recipe

lb. butterbeans

bacon

sugar

Place butterbeans in a large saucepan. Fill pan with...

Place butterbeans in a large saucepan. Fill pan with enough water to cover the butterbeans by about an inch. 

Add bacon, sugar, garlic powder, butter, and salt...

Add bacon, sugar, garlic powder, butter, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn down to a simmer and cook 45 minutes or until very tender. 

Taste and add additional salt and/or sugar if...

Taste and add additional salt and/or sugar if needed. Serve warm.

Creamy butter beans are stewed in the pressure cooker in a spiced tomato sauce. This quintessential Mauritian recipe can also be made on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker Butter Beans Stewed in Tomato Sauce

butter beans ([1 cup])

cooking oil (olive, sunflower, vegetable oil

shallots onion (sliced, omit if you don’t consume)

garlic (sliced or minced, omit if you don’t consume)

ginger paste (see notes for our tutorial on how to make your own)

tomato

cumin

½ teaspoon garam masala

paprika (optional)

green chillies (or 1 dried red chilli, optional)

salt (adjust

Black pepper

coriander leaves (for garnish)

Place the dried butter beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Leave to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.

The next day, drain all the water.

In the pressure cooker, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Set the pressure cooker to saute mode or manual mode on medium-high temperature.

Allow the oil to heat, then add the shallots, garlic, ginger paste and green chillies. Saute for about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, garam masala and paprika. Stir to combine, and saute for about 2 minutes. Add a little water if tomatoes are starting to stick to the pan.

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