Southern Style Creamy Butter Beans
This Creamy Butter Beans recipe is a soul-warming comfort dish featuring large, tender lima beans simmered in a rich, savory broth. Infused with the smoky depth of a ham hock and savory pieces of smoked meat, these beans develop a luxurious, velvety texture that is purely indulgent.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried large butter beans lima beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 1 large smoked ham hock
- ½ lb chopped bacon or smoked pork scraps
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6-8 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the bacon and onions over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the soaked beans, ham hock, thyme, bay leaf, and broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
- Simmer for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and a creamy gravy has formed.
- Remove the ham hock, shred the meat from the bone, and return the meat to the pot.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm, ideally with cornbread.