The recipe for these Southern Lima Beans (also known as butter beans or dried limas) is simple, easy, and only calls for a handful of ingredients. The super rich, creamy broth and smoky flavor is what sets them apart. I’m even showing you how to make them in the slow cooker!
Butter beans, lima beans, dried lima beans, large limas, pocketbook beans, mule ears, the list goes on and on. These delicious dried beans go by a host of different names. The truth is, they’re lima beans. Whether they’re green, speckled, white, cream colored, dried or fresh – they’re all varieties of lima beans.
Now, I’ll admit I grew up calling these large limas or dried limas and called their smaller green to cream colored fresh counter parts butter beans (like these). And I’m not alone. I surveyed y’all on Facebook and saw that quite a few follow my naming nomenclature, while others were the opposite. Many of you call these large dried beans butter beans. And with more than 1,000 replies at last check, y’all are pretty passionate about what you call ’em.
Here’s what I know for sure… Call them whatever you will. Just don’t call me late to supper when these babies are on the menu.
My recipe for cooking them is simple, straightforward, and only calls for a handful of ingredients, but it’s the method that really matters. Let’s jump in…
How to make Southern Lima Beans
Now, my mom taught me that with all dried beans, they need to be soaked before cooking – whether using the overnight or the quick soak method. Now, since I know she’s reading this (Hi, Mom!), I’ll fall short of saying she’s wrong, but I will say that we now know better. Yep, modern science and testing have revealed that soaking beans really doesn’t do much other than cut down on the cook time (which isn’t a huge difference anyway).
Since it’s how I learned to cook, I’m a strong proponent of the philosophy that the way your mom or grandma did it is the right way. So if you want to soak your beans, by gosh you need to soak those beans. But the truth is that if you don’t have time to soak, (or just don’t want to) you’re going to come out with some super delicious beans either way.
How do I make thick and creamy beans?
Now for me, these large dried limas should be swimming in a thick, rich broth that’s super creamy. It’s the way mom made them and after a few tests, the trick to getting them that way is super simple. You have to stir them.
You see those beans right above here? Those beans were cooked using the exact same method and ingredients, but I only stirred them twice. The result is mainly whole beans and a relatively thin, clear broth.
Now these down here below were stirred quite a bit more. The stirring broke some of the beans up and the starch from those beans thickened the broth and made for a hearty, thick sauce to coat the beans. This is how Mom made them.
Either way is delicious, it’s just all in how you like them.
Now while some recipes calls for onion, garlic, even carrots, Mom made her beans with just water, smoked meat, salt, and pepper. Often she would also include a pinch of ground ginger as many claim it helps with the uh… um, “after effects” of eating a bowl full of beans, but there’s no scientific evidence of that being true.
Outside of the beans themselves, most of the flavor comes from the salt and the smoked meat. I keep ham hocks frozen for this because I think they add the most flavor to dishes like this, but a ham bone, smoked turkey wings, smoked pork neck bones, or even smoked sausage can be used to get that smoky flavor.
Regardless of what you call them and whether you stir them or not, these beans are a hearty, delicious side (or even main dish) that’s perfect alongside some piping hot cornbread. In my family, beans like this have always been served with some raw onion. I’ve heard others say they add mayonnaise or even ketchup to them. No matter what goes with them, I know you’re going to love them! Y’all enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound large dried lima beans
- 1 large smoked ham hock*
- 9 cups water (or less for slow cooker version)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 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 ½ 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.
Slow Cooker Method:
- Place beans, 6 cups 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. Keep in mind that different slow cookers cook at different rates, so watch them carefully in the last few hours for doneness. If desired, remove the hock, shred the meat, and return it to the slow cooker.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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love this soup.
Thanks!
very good
Thanks!
I’m going to try the beans. Don’t have ham but I do have bacon to use up . If I use that in the beans, would you cut it up or use it whole? Cook it or throw it in raw ? How many slices? Thanks
It sort of depends on what you want to do with the bacon at the end. Of course the bacon will be sort of poached, so if you’re ok with that, I’d cut it up so it’s easier to serve with the beans. If you want to remvoe it, I’d leave it whole so it’s easier to take out. In either case, I’d suggest 4 to 5 slices.
I’m curious to know how the bacon experiment turned out as that’s what I have on hand as well. Would love to hear what you did and how it went! 🙃
Nooooooooooo. Baby limas only. small green lima beans.
so delicious
Thanks!
Hi Stacy! Thanks for the reminder that I need to get some more lima beans. Your recipe is how I make mine, so simple and delicious. As for the folks fussing about lectins, they’d have a fit to know I used to eat limas raw when I’d help my late mama shell them.
Ha! And you lived to tell it!
I made these in the slow cooker last week and we liked them. I used a ham hock and used a fork to press some beans against the side of the cooker as they softened. I also stirred several times. We liked the thickened consistency this produced. This will be our method from now on.
Thanks so much, Harriet!
On the Southern Butter Bean recipe, it doesn’t say whether you soak your beans or not, please clarify this for me! Thank you.
I cover all the info about soaking the beans up in the blog post. Let me know if you have any other questions.
I have n made anything yet. I am just looking at your website and you’re recipes looks good and interesting. only thing I can’t do is marawicawe. but I can use my stove and oven.. Thank you all these information of these recipes..
Hope you find lots you enjoy!
Made these today. So simple and delicious! I only made a half recipe and should have made more. I resisted the urge to mess with the recipe and am glad I didn’t change a thing.
Thanks, Arnold! So glad you enjoyed it!
Your butter bean recipe is perfect. I’ve used leftover pulled pork or bbq ribs. Be creative with leftovers. Enjoy!
Great idea! So glad you enjoyed it!
try replacing some of the water with
1 cup coconut milk. (Cayman Islands)
Interesting twist! Thanks for sharing, John!
Hi Stacey,
I had high hopes for this recipe, but sadly, mine ended up in the garbage. I’m guessing it works if cooking them on the stovetop, but the recipe doesn’t work as I made it in the crock pot. First off, 9 cups of liquid is far too much for cooking in a crock pot, and the recipe notes should specify that. Second, the crock pot cooks the beans to death—absolute mush. It ended up like diluted bean liquid. I would adjust recipe notes accordingly so others can avoid this disaster. I adore Lima beans and may try again using a kettle on the stove.
Hi Patty! I’m so sorry to hear that! That’s definitely frustrating, especially when you were looking forward to them. Slow cookers can vary quite a bit, and beans can go from tender to mushy faster than expected depending on the cooker and the age of the beans. I appreciate you sharing your experience, and I’ll take another look at those notes to see if I can make that clearer for folks using the slow cooker method. I do hope you’ll give them another try on the stovetop!
She did say 6 cups water for slow cooker
Patty, the slow cooker method (that’s included in the recipe) calls for less water.
The recipe says six cups for the slow cooker not nine.
I have made this because the picture looked so good. This is so good ,every time I have a ham bone I make it. So easy I have a ham in the refrigerator to make lima bean soup again. Love it lots !!!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it, Roberta!
PERFECT DIRECTIONS. MAKING THESE RIGHT. NOW!!! Every time. I decide to make a complicated all day soup/stew recipe (ie.e. okra soup) I quickly. pull out. my bac of dried beans (love Rancho Gordo beans). and stick with the basics. Never fail to disappoint.
Thanks so much, Jami!
Love these limas — they are a real taste of home! Easy to fix, mighty tasty, lots of protein and fiber. What’s not to love?
I couldn’t agree more! So glad you loved them!
Can anyone help me? I’ve made THREE different attempts to make fresh lima beans using THREE different brands. “Camellia” being one of those brands, but after each attempt, the beans are EXTREMELY BITTER. Even after using a little sugar or baking soda during the soaking phase. I’ve also changed the water throughout the soaking process, and I only soak them over night being sure NOT to use that same water when I’m preparing to cook them. Yet, they are STILL coming out VERY BITTER. WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING WRONG????? PLEASE HELP!!!!!! 🤷🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️
I know how frustrating this can be! Since you’ve had the same bitterness happen with several different brands, I’d also wonder if the beans might be older or if your water could be part of the issue. You might try a small batch with bottled water just to rule that out. Older dried beans can sometimes have a stale or bitter flavor, and unfortunately it’s hard to know how long they’ve been sitting before you buy them.
Like my Mom, I always soak dry beans but other than that, this would be her recipe. We would have had it served with vinegar and/or mustard, and green onions! Your recipes take me back home. Thank you!
Sounds great! Thanks so much, Vickie!
Your mother, and her ancestors (without maybe knowing the ‘science’ of discomfort with un-soaked beans) – was SMART!! Here’s why: “While some research highlights potential antioxidant, anti-tumor, and gastroprotective properties in specific lima bean LECTINS (as with legumes), they are also classified as ‘anti-nutrients’ that can resist digestion and potentially disrupt gut health. To minimize negative effects, it’s critical to soak and fully cook lima beans, as heat treatment also helps to destroy or reduce the activity of these lectins.” Dr Gundry and Dr Berg have spoken a lot about ‘lectins’ when eaten too often, making some people feel quite unwell or worse with gut health. Your mother is 100% correct; soak those lima/butter beans!
Thanks, R! Can you share a link? I’d love to read more about this. My current understanding is that fully cooking them achieves the same goal, so I’d love the opportunity to dive deeper. I really geek out over the science of food.
https://drgundry.com/lectin-guide/
He is a former board-certified cardiologist. Also, in one of his books he mentions lectins so difficult to get rid if, for the very sensitive that limas should be “soaked overnight AND then pressure-cooked on High for 15 minutes”!
Thanks so much for sharing your perspective. I always appreciate folks taking the time to join the conversation. I do think it’s worth pointing out, though, that this probably isn’t the strongest source for nutrition guidance. The page you linked is a commercial wellness page that also promotes Dr. Gundry’s own supplement, ‘Lectin Shield,’ and makes broad claims about lectins and health that go well beyond what major evidence-based nutrition and food-safety sources say.
From what I’ve found, the science is a lot more nuanced. Beans do contain lectins, but the main concern is with raw or undercooked beans, not beans that have been properly prepared. Harvard notes that lectins are most potent in their raw state and that soaking and wet-heat cooking, like boiling or stewing, can inactivate most lectins. EFSA said in 2026 that properly processed and prepared pulses do not pose a lectin-related risk, and specifically notes that soaking and boiling beans helps avoid potential health risks.
Soaking can absolutely be helpful. It can shorten cooking time, help beans cook more evenly, and may reduce some of the compounds that contribute to digestive discomfort. But that’s different from saying lima beans are unsafe unless soaked, or that lectins in properly cooked beans are broadly harmful. That claim just isn’t supported by the stronger sources I found.
So in the end, I’d say this: soak them if you like, and plenty of cooks do. But the bigger issue is making sure they’re cooked thoroughly. That’s where the food-safety concern really lives.
Just a question; cooking the beans in a insta pot is not a good thing!
I used my Rancho Gordo big butter beans soaked overnight the in the crockpot with chicken broth, ham bone, and a bay leaf for 8 hours and served over cornbread! So yummy. If you havent tried Rancho Gordo, I really recommend these beans
Thanks, Susan! They’re on my list!
My momma used to make these especially for me. They are my absolute favorite! She fixed hers the same way that you fix your.
That’s so sweet to hear! It’s amazing how food can hold such special memories. I’m glad my recipe reminds you of your momma’s cooking!
I buy my beans from the grower “Rancho Gordo.” Many of the famous gourmet cooks do too. he grows so many types that I have a hard time deciding which ones to cook next!
I’ve heard of that brand a few different times, but I’ve never tried it. I’ll have to order some.
Rancho Gordo the best!
What a wonderful recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly as written and it was wonderful.
Easy, uncomplicated and tasty. Just what a man in the kitchen needs.
Thank you so very much!
This is a wonderful recipe! The only change I made was I cooked the ham hock the day before, put the broth in the refrigerator overnight, and removed the fat from the top. Next day I used the broth to cook the beans in, and eliminated the salt. It was so good and simple!
So smart! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
wonderfully easy and flavorsome! i sauteed some leek and carrots, added some cumin and a broken down sausage and blended half of them once cooked as the beans were old and the jackets held on for dear life. That way the soup was thicker and the whole this so yummy. Thank you for reminding me that simpler does not mean boring!
That sounds amazing, Maria!
They were good thanks for sharing Baltimore md.
So glad you enjoyed them!
I had tons of Lima beans leftover from a science experiment I conducted with my students, so looked up recipes.
I sautéed onions, instead of water I used broth, used turkey wings, and added kale at the end. The beans are so soft and the addition of the turkey makes this is a nutrient dense meal. I will make this again!
Thanks, Tina! So glad you enjoyed them!
Where I live in Portland Oregon I have a hard time finding dried butter beans and dried black eyes (except around New Years), so I order online from CamillaBrand.com. They get shipped from Louisiana and are great.
Just got my order and I will be making this recipe again as soon as I get a ham hock!
Great tip! Thanks, Kathy!
I have sliced ham steak, would that work for this recipe?
I don’t see why not!
Simple is best. Easy, to make. This recipe calls for few ingredients. Texture and taste of beans is the star of this recipe. To serve: The simple flavor of the beans can be enhanced by garnishes like cheese, onion, jalapeño peppers, sour cream, fresh parsley.
Easy*****
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed it, Sue!
I love butter beans, bought some at a local restaurant and the outside of the beans was tough. What would cause this?
Most of the time it’s either old beans or the water. Older dried butter beans can keep that tough “jacket” no matter how long they cook, and hard water can make the skins stay firm. Also, anything acidic added too early (tomatoes, vinegar, etc.) can slow them from softening.
Pressure cooking can help if you’ve got older beans that don’t want to soften. I’ve had the problem where either some beans don’t want to get soft, or the outside stays tough. The pressure cooker has solved this problem for me. Good luck…butter beans are my favorite! 🤩
Extremely wonderful rich flavor and creamy….made my snow day here in Wash DC a joy.. .
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
L-E-C-T-I-N-S
And a quick G-O-O-G-L-E search would have shown you that L-E-C-T-I-N-S can be removed by simply cooking.
How about actually trying the recipe before leaving a one-star review with an uninformed opinion? Were you just angry that day and decided to be a jerk to make everyone else as miserable as you?
Loved your recipe – simple and delicious! I’d like to jazz it up a bit. Many. many years ago I found a recipe for (large) butter beans and sausage casserole. I cannot find the recipe anywhere and hoped you might have one. This ole Southern gal would love to make it again. Thanks for keeping Southern dishes alive.
I don’t have anything quite like that. What kind of sausage was it?
The bean were delicious but i used bacon to season Thats all i had
Thanks, Jannette!
Good recipe
Thanks, Susan!
I’m giving this 5 stars because I make this once a year for my hubby who LOVES it…the only difference is I put a cut up onion and use ham hocks and a thick slice of ham with bone. Sometimes I add chicken broth as well…we like it “soupy” so lots of liquid and a bit of cornstarch to thicken at the end….but am so glad your recipe doesn’t have a bunch of unwanted or needed “stuff.” Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Gloria!
Great Recipe. I sautéed a small onion and two cloves of garlic before adding the beans. Also added much more left over chopped ham and stirred it often.Lastly added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Sounds great! So glad to hear they turned out perfect for you, Robert!
Add 1 large Sweet Vidalia Onion quartered and bam. A Gullah woman from The low country of SC told me this and it makes all the difference.
Thanks for the tip, Timothy!
Delicious and preferable to rice, potatoes or pasta for anyone with diabetes. Lovely recipe.
Thanks!
My favorite beans! My granddaddy taught me about them! Always with a side of raw onion and cornbread. When you put them in your bowl, always add a dollop of butter to them.
Got to have those onions!
Butter beans are one of our favorite dry beans. I cook pinto beans, lima beans, or navy beans most often. There are so many ways to fix receipts using cooked dry beans and they are so healthy for you.
Thanks, Carol! Agreed!
These taste just like my Mama’s. I do add 1tbs of jarred garlic. The technique makes them so creamy, I stir every 15 minutes. Taste’s just like home!
That’s the ultimate compliment, Denise!
Hi if I soak the beans, would the instant pot cook time still be the same?
If you soak the beans first, you can cut the Instant Pot cook time down a good bit. For most soaked beans, about 15 to 20 minutes on high pressure should do the trick instead of the full unsoaked time (which is usually around 35 to 40 minutes).
Just make sure to drain and rinse the soaked beans before cooking, and still let the pressure release naturally for the best texture.
How do I adjust this for fresh lima? I assume less water and maybe not cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours?
I’m honestly not sure. This might be helpful: Southern Butter Beans with Bacon
These beans are like no other when I came from the north to.the south my Aunt Effie would make them and she did ut just like this, Amazing! Sooo delicious with some chopped onion and sweet and how peppers and some chow, chow lawd, I’m going to make them ASAP! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hope you’ll enjoy them!
Oh, my goodness, yes, Deborah!
Gotta have chow- chow on top with the Vidalia onions!
And thanks, Stacey, for advising to stir often. Makes a big difference.
So glad you enjoyed them!
So delicious. I make a larger pot and add other beans if on hand and before shredding the meat I remove 1/2 the pot of beans including some of the sauce. I shred the meat and put it back to finish while making corn bread. I then take the amount I removed and I add a can of crushed tomatoes, cooked ground beef, and all the seasonings for the perfect chili. By the time the beans are done the seasonings have all blended perfectly and now I have 2 meals ready to go.
That sounds amazing!
This sounds delish! Can this be done in a pressure cooker?
I don’t see why not. Enjoy!
Lima beans are full of cyanide. Most important instructions for cooking dry Lima beans it is soaking beans in cold water 12 hours ( overnight) , drain and rinse and then start cooking, which it is way faster and really buttery
Thanks for bringing this up, Nick! It’s a good idea to clarify things for folks who might be worried about safety.
According to the Oregon State University Extension Service, yes — beans in the Phaseolus lunatus family (commonly called lima or butter beans) do contain a natural cyanogenic glycoside called linamarin.
But here’s the thing: the beans you buy at the grocery store in the U.S. are commercially produced and regulated, so their cyanide-potential is much lower than wild beans—typically in the range of 100-170 mg cyanide per kg for U.S. varieties.
Even better: cooking those commercially available beans greatly reduces the cyanide potential by destroying the enzyme that releases the cyanide.
What that means for everyday home cooking is this: if you’re using store-bought dry lima beans, you’re working with a safe starting point. As long as you cook them properly, you’ll enjoy their butter-bean goodness without worry.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/there-cyanide-lima-beans
Can’t wait to make these. The beans, along with a pan of cornbread, will be a meal in itself.
Sounds perfect to me!
I love my butter beans and pinto beans with a nice meaty hamhock
Me too!
Can’t get any better than this!! 🤤
Love hearing that!
We love butter beans. I tend to use chicken broth, some garlic, and equal parts ( 3/4-1 C ) of onion, celery, and carrots per 2C of dry butter beans.
Family loves them…make them monthly, all year long!!
Sounds delicious!
My large lima beans always turn out bitter. What I’m I doing wrong?
I totally get how frustrating that can be. Bitter lima beans can sometimes be a result of not cooking them long enough or using older beans. If they’re still bitter, it might be worth trying a different brand or batch. Hope that helps!
I love butter beans and great northern beans ALL FALL AND WINTER!!! Bean soup of any kind or type was a major staple in our home when I was a kid and still is today!!
So comforting and delicious!
I made it exactly as the recipe said and it turned out delicious!
So glad they turned out great for you, Heidi!
I made these for my family and my daughter and her family. They were excellent thank you
Love hearing that! Thanks, Dana Ann!
Awesome 👍
Thanks, Elesia!
I love my butter beans and pinto beans with a nice meaty hamhock
Good… but for me pressure cooker is the way to go…beans..quart of low sodium chicken broth..chopped onion..garlic..a chopped up carrot if on hand..salt n pepper..55 minutes done! Oh yeah..any smoked meat..that will get you 5stars every time
I do agree that the pressure cooker is a great way to make beans!
Plain and simple… my house smelled delicious
So glad you enjoyed these, Shirla!
I love any kind of Butterbean or lima beans. My favorite, and the only kind my husband will eat is speckled butter beans. Ingles used to carry the dried ones, but no more. If anyone knows where I might get them please comment
I do love me a speckled butter bean! I can often find them in the freezer section.
Kroger shows that they sell speckled butter beans. It appears that they only sell the frozen ones. I hope this helps.
I cooked some frozen black eyed peas from Kroger and they were tough as shoe leather. I couldn’t even eat them. Not sure who was at fault – me or the peas.
I will be making these this week…My Mama made them all the time…
Thank You Perry
Enjoy, Perry! I love that these bring back memories of your Mama.
This is exactly how my mom made these. I just love the big Lima beans. When they were done it was served overtop buttered egg noodles. Looks like I gotta get ham hock next time I’m at the store! Thank you, Stacey!
Sure hope you’ll love them, Marigold! I’ve never thought about putting them over pasta. I’ll have to try that.
She was Italian so everything went over pasta 😆 She also loved southern cooking.
I love the collision of two food cultures! And pasta is NEVER a bad idea – at least at our house! 🙂
The recipe is absolutely amazing and the results were outstanding…
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
So yummy
Thanks, Andrea!
Great recipe!
Thanks, Donna!
I am making this today. A little warm outside for cold comfort food, but i am losing weight and I’ve read that this is a good source of protein and healthy carbs. So I will try this recipe. Thanks!
I appreciate you stopping by! This recipe is definitely a great option for protein and healthy carbs. Enjoy making it, even if it’s a bit warm outside! Let me know how it turns out.
Love this recipe , made it exactly as printed ! Thank you for all the yummy recipes !
I’m so glad you loved the recipe! It’s always great to hear when someone enjoys it. Thanks for the kind words!
I’ve been cooking these beans ever since I married in 1968. I don’t soak. One thing I do, that you might like to try, is add 4 or 5 cloves of garlic and a medium onion. Also, they have to be served with lacy cornbread fried in bacon grease.
That sounds delicious! I love the idea of adding garlic and onion for extra flavor. Lacy cornbread fried in bacon grease is a classic combo!
Do you sauté the garlic and onion before adding?
What is “Lacy Cornbread?
I have been reading the replies to see if anyone added garlic as I have for many years. Amazing the difference it makes!
Love this idea!
Even though I think the high and low button on my crockpot are reversed and my beans were a little mushy, They were out of this world good! I could not stop eating them. I ate them until my stomach hurt, that’s how good they were. I saw a review that someone said theirs came out bitter… I followed the recipe exactly and they were incredible. I will save this recipe so I can make them again and again.
How do they get “creamy” – is a bunch of starch released from the beans to thicken the liquid???
That released starch helps, but stirring them breaks them up and that does a great job of making them thick and creamy.
How much stirring should I do for creamy beans
You want to stir enough that you start to break up some of the beans. All that starch helps to thicken the broth and make it creamy. You can even press some of the beans against the side of the pot to break them up.
Your Lima beans look delicious, can’t wait to try them. Happy Father’s Day.
Thanks so much, Jill!
I think this recipe is perfect. These beans taste great so why mess them up! I do suggest that for vegans (are there any here?), you can use olive oil. I have some cooking right now with a mix of olive oil and butter, since I did not have a hock. STIR BABY STIR! But no TOO much. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Geoffrey!
That’s the way my mom made them. She also brought them to a boil and drained them and filled the pot up and cooked them
So good!
This is how I make mine too, although I use Pacific Chicken Stock, some dried onion seasoning and garlic seasoning. Salt & Pepper. I buy the ham shanks it’s so much easier than the hocks. Secret is stirring and using a metal spatula to mash some against the sides of the pot!
Thanks for sharing your method! I love the tip about mashing some against the pot—definitely a great way to enhance the texture.
Perfect recipe. Came out perfect first time. Cooking again today!! Thank you
I’m so glad to hear that!
Thank you for adding the slow cooker recipe as an option. I am going to make Lima Beans and ham hocks for this coming Easter Sunday dinner. I like that your recipe is simple, without the onions, garlic, celery, Cajun seasonings, etc. Thanks to your mom.
Thanks, Janice! Hope it turned out great for you!
I made the beans. They turned out so good! I did soak the beans for an hour before cooking and I did add some baked garlic to the mix but thats all, well some cubed smoked ham to sweeten the pot. Soooo good!
I’m so glad to hear that the beans turned out great for you!
I do the overnight crock pot ones. I made them last night & can’t wait to taste them today.
Hope they turned out great for you!
I followed Southern Lima Beans (Butter Beans) exactly. They are bitter. I would appreciate knowing why or what else to do. Any help would be appreciated.
What brand of beans did you use?
Butter beans have always been my favorite meal. My mom made the the same way your mom and grandma did. I never could make them come out thick and luscious, but stirring the frequently makes sense.
I have a pot on right now and I so excited for dinner time to come I plan on making fried potatoes and cornbread. That’s how my mom would serve it and frankly I need to feel that comforting hug it gives.
I love hearing about the memories tied to butter beans! Stirring them frequently really does make a difference in getting that thick, luscious texture. Your dinner sounds absolutely perfect—fried potatoes and cornbread are such a comforting combo. I hope it turns out just like your mom’s and brings back all those warm, cozy feelings!
I fondly remember my childhood and eating my grandmother’s ham & lima beans😋 mine have never turned out like her’s. Mine comes out more like soup instead of creamy and just doesn’t taste the same. Thanks for the tip about stirring. I’ve got 3lbs of baby lima beans & ham cooking at this very minute (sharing with my daughter and her family, 9 of us all together) and I can’t wait to see how they turn out. My mouth is watering just thinking about it and I’m feeling a bit nostalgic too. I fried up a lb of bacon and added to the pot as well❤️ Thank you.
What a sweet memory to share! I love hearing how recipes like this can bring back so much nostalgia. Adding bacon sounds like an amazing touch, and I bet it will make the dish even more flavorful. I hope the stirring tip helps get you closer to your grandmother’s creamy version. Enjoy sharing this meal with your family—it sounds like a perfect comfort food moment.
Your recipe doesn’t caII for soaking them and I’m wondering if there’s any difference in the amount of Iiquid you use to cook them in when presoaking or what the time difference wouId be. Thanks much.
Beans that have been soaked absorb less water so you’d need less water when cooking them. I’ve only tested them this way, though, so I don’t have a measurement for how much less to use.
A neighbor just gave me 2 one-pound bags of dry baby Limas. Is there any reason why I can’t use those instead of the large dry limas? Recipe looks fine. I use ham hocks all the time to make pea soup, so I’ll be using one of those with a pound of baby Limas.
No reason at all—you can absolutely use baby limas instead of large ones! They’ll cook up just as creamy and delicious, and the ham hock will add all that smoky goodness. Sounds like a winning combination to me—enjoy!
Thanks for your reply. I’ll be cooking up a batch of baby Limas per your recipe as soon as I can get to the store for a couple of ham hocks.
We northerners (I’m a Michigander) often ignore southern cooking, but I don’t. Only one time in my whole 81-year life did I EVER hear “spoon bread” being mentioned. .” It was in a movie–that science fiction classic about “the body snatchers!” A minor character invited somebody for supper, and her incentive was “I’m making spoon bread.” I wondered what “spoon bread” could possibly be; it was never mentioned in any of my standard cookbooks. One day I saw a recipe for it in a 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook, so I made a batch just to see what it was like. I thought it was delish so I sprung it on my grandkids as part of on of our weekly suppers together. Even the kids liked it. One day soon I’m going to make a “southern supper” for us. Ham steaks with a spiced pineapple sauce, a “sweet potato praline” dish containing pecans, your Lima bean dish, spoon bread instead of my usual homemade biscuits–and peach cobbler for dessert.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you’re giving the baby limas a try.
Your southern supper menu sounds absolutely incredible! Spoon bread is such a treat, isn’t it? I love that you introduced it to your grandkids and that they enjoyed it—it’s the kind of dish that sticks in your memory. And that peach cobbler to round things out? Perfection!
I hope your southern supper is a big hit. It sounds like you’re bringing a little taste of the South to Michigan, and I couldn’t love that more. Let me know how it all turns out!
Can anyone advise as to why this came out bitter? I made as directed using a ham bone. I used chicken broth instead of water. The ham I shredded off the bone is delicious but the beans and broth are terribly bitter.
How long did you cook them?
We were looking to buy some for this recipe. While checking for sources this one set of reviews stood out. Walmart’s reviews were consistent: “not fit to eat”. The reason posted? A product that was not dried properly, resulting in “mildew’ [Black spots and bitter taste. Michelle and David
Hi Sarah
I’ve heard that if the beans are old that it can cause bitterness.
Its hard to tell how long dried beans sit in the store before we purchase. Im making these beans right now, when I purchased the dried beans I looked all over the package for a date …nothing though
I hope the results of your first try dont put you off …butter beans are heaven. Keep trying
Great tip! Thanks, Jo!
I’m so glad I found you! I was craving the ham and beans my mom used to make (never got around to asking her how she made them), and only found a lot of “soup” recipes-I knew hers weren’t too complicated, and this recipe is it! It’s exactly how I remember. We also used to call them butter beans, I spent quite a few minutes at the store looking for them before settling on the large lima beans!!
I’m so glad this recipe brought back those memories for you! Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that stick with us the most. And yes, butter beans and large lima beans can definitely cause some grocery store confusion—they’re one and the same! Thanks for sharing your story!
Most everyone in my neck of the woods flavors them with fatback, that makes them taste the best in my opinion, already has the salt. I’ve had them with ham hock and they are good that way too.
Fatback works perfect in this recipe.
Love butter beans. I make them the same way as you.
Thanks, Cammy!
I’m making this southern dish for my book club that just read a southern book. Do you cut up the ham hock and serve with the beans or just use it to flavor the beans?
You can’t really cut it up, but you can shred some of the eat off it once it’s cooked. Either way, it’s totally up to you.
Cooked a huge pot of beans when it was quite cold. I’m a transplant from NW Florida to Oregon. Some of my southern taste are spreading around here!! 😋 They like things like lima beans now!
Love that you’re sharing a little Southern flavor up in Oregon! Nothing like a big pot of beans to warm you up on a cold day. Glad you’re spreading the lima bean love!
I am cooking this recipe but I am using double the amount of beans. I do not need double the amount of water do I?
Maybe about 1.5 times the amount. You can always watch them and add a little more, if needed. Hope you enjoy!
My preferred meat with lima beans is bacon. I can’t tolerate cured ham, probably because of the chemicals used in the curing process. I also use chicken broth instead of water.
Bacon works great here.
Very good! Just like Mother used to cook them. ADD A PAN OF CORNBREAD AND YOU GOT A MEAL!!!
So good!
Can I use fat back
I don’t see why not.
Excellent! Just the way my grandma made them in Georgia (and her ancestors as well). Yes, we called the larger, cream-colored Limas “Butter Beans”. Yummy recipe; of course, all your recipes are YUMMY!
Thanks, Robin!
My dad was from NC so seasoning meat was country ham-salt brined. I get mine on line in manageable packages. I just made a pot but put shaped pasta in the Lima bean broth. Made a basic vegetarian meal(s).
Sounds great!!
I’m a “young” 70 year old woman. All my life I’ve told people if I was on death row my last meal would be butter beans, cornbread, raw onion, and sliced tomatoes. And of course sweetened ice tea. I LOVE butter beans. But they better have thick juice or I’ll pitch a hissy fit. (That’s my Southern heritage coming through). I have had in my life time about 2 pots where the juice wouldn’t thicken. Add a little vegetable oil. It will do the trick. I’ve told others about that and it worked for them. Loved reading this article. And will keep your recipe, just because!! Have a good day.
Thanks, Melody! I’ve never heard that about the vegetable oil, but I’ll keep that in mind!
I love the thick “gravey” as well.
I start a half pound of lima’s first.
Then add a pound later.
When done I have whole beans with the thickness of the 1st beans turned to “gravy…
ENJOY
Excellent. Thanks for posting. I went with slow cooker. Lima beans, ham hocks, and water. Nothing else required. Loud claps of thunder throughout the night. Not a creature was stirring.
I’m not sure if I should say thanks or just lol. 🙂
I did it the old-fashioned way: I stocked the beans for 24 hours. Then, in a large pot, I fried 1/2 lp of bacon; afterward, I added two ham shanks and a large chopped onion and cooked on low for 4 hours. Removed the meat from the ham shanks, added the beans to the pot, added a stick of butter, and covered it with chicken broth. Finally slow-cooked for 1 1/2 hours. That’s how it’s done in Mississippi. It makes you hug your mom.
That sounds mighty tasty, Mississippi! I think I’ll try your idea next, if your meemaw don’t mind?! (assuming you inherited the idea through her lineage).
Do you brown the sausage before adding to the beans?
If you opt to use smoked sausage in the recipe in stead of the ham hock, you can brown it before adding it, but that’s optional. It will work just fine even if you don’t.
This is absolutely delish! I made this on the stovetop, using half of a bone in ham steak. I may have to use smoked sausage next time. I chose to soak my beans. Thanks for a yummy recipe, Stacey!
You’re so welcome!
I have no doubt that this tastes delightful, but it is laden with saturated fat and cholesterol. I am hoping to devise a tasty recipe reminiscent of this Southern delight that I enjoyed your way during my childhood. I will try making it with uncured turkey bacon, olive oil, a little grassfed butter, perhaps some Beyond Meat Italian sausage browned and sliced, and steamed okra on top of the beans or cooked separately. We always had okra with our large white lima beans. I will add a bit of maple syrup along with my sea salt, black pepper, and fresh onion, and I might try a small bay leaf. A side of steamed organic white rice pilaf flavored with chopped green onions and red papper should make up for some of the lost flavor since I no longer eat pork. I will just ladle the beans over the seasoned rice.
Thanks for getting me started.
When a seed sprouts, the nutrition increases as much as 10 fold. (I have read) So, soaking butter beans (which is a seed) has a great benefit. My mother’s butter beans, many of which, were sprouted.
I didn’t realize that soaking them would allow them start sprouting this quickly?
i was rise on them went we no way of getting funds to eat beans is what we went to eat it keeps you going went you have hrad times
One of the many poor man dollar meals lots of people are fixing their family today for sure. Thanks from southeast Georgia “The Old man in the Barn “
Sometimes, you need a simple, uncomplicated recipe. This was exactly that. I used smoked turkey wings. I slow cooked them in a mini crockpot while the beans soaked overnight. I shredded the meat, cooked the beans in the meat broth and only seasoned them with pepper as no salt was needed. Excellent dinner with hot water corn bread. That’s it and that’s all that was needed.
Sounds great! Glad I could help and so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Help, my large Lima are bitter. Can you help?
Hi Sharon! Often times varying brands and varieties can produce a bitter taste. My mother has been cooking beans her whole life and sometimes ends up with bitter beans. While there’s no sure fire way to prevent it, some say adding a pinch of sugar helps. I’ve also heard that adding a pinch of baking soda can help. There are others who swear that soaking the beans prevents the bitterness, but I’ve not found that to be true at all. There are times that even with the soaking, they still end up bitter.
I’m 75 years old and been cooking since I was about 10 years old. I love butter beans. I fix them just like you & your mom. For the first time in my life, I cooked some and they were so bitter I could not eat them. Threw them out. 😭😭😭😭
Great recipe! Reminds me of my mom’s butter beans. I made them in the slow cooker and they are amazing. Thank you Stacey; now if I can just perfect a cornbread recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it! Might I suggest: Elmer’s Cornbread
When you make In slow cooker yoy do not need to soak prior?
Great base recipe. Only made half pound. Adjusted for plant based. Used baby lima beans. Sautéed carrot, onion and garlic in non dairy butter first. Added bay leaf and smoked paprika along with salt/ pepper. Let cook through for about a minute before adding beans, two teaspoons of Vegetable Better Than Bouillon and 4 cups water. Absolutely delightful.
Glad you were able to adjust this one to meet your needs, Carissa!
It was like being in my grammies kitchen again. Delicious
Aww! So sweet! Thank you, Annette!
Maybe it’s because I’m southern, and we like to clog our arteries…but I was taught by my mom to put A LOT of butter in with my butter beans!!! lol!! That and bacon! I won’t knock this recipe though, because I haven’t tried it. I still like the butter with them. 😁
Thanks, Rebecca! Add all the butter you want, friend!
Great recipe. I used a smoked turkey leg and added onions and garlic. I did soak the beans first, so I just added enough water to cover them while cooking, and even left the cover off the pot the last 20 mintutes or so to reduce the liquid.
Soaking beans doesn’t just cut down cooking time, it also reduces the “after effects”:
https://beaninstitute.com/two-ways-to-soak-beans-to-reduce-gas/#:~:text=Soaking%20overnight%20and%20then%20discarding,each%20cup%20of%20dried%20beans.
Glad you enjoyed it! There are tons of articles out there both for and against the soak. I say, do what works best for you. 🙂
https://www.seriouseats.com/bean-science-how-to-reduce-gas-tested-6755268
I happened to make this recipe yesterday (so YUMMY, they came out GREAT) and I’m watching TV and see you on GGG. I heard you mention the blog and I said “Hmmmm…that sounds like the site I got my bean recipe from” and sure enough – it WAS you! Delicious – looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Ha! How cool is that! Thanks for watching, Shauna!!
I would like a dollar for every butter bean I shelled as a kid. I prefer ham hocks. I don’t remember getting a lot of choices about dinner and never suffered for it. Good eating.
.You mentioned ketchup. I don’t have any in my house but, I can’t imagine navy beans without ketchup in the center. Today, BBQ sauce might work.
This is the BEST Lima bean recipe EVER! Thank you!
Awesome!! Thank you, Sherri!!
So good I could eat these every day!!!!
Thanks, Linda!
Waarom heet het boterbonen, zie nergens gebruik van boter….
There are a couple theories, but most agree that butter beans get their name not from the ingredient butter, but rather their buttery texture.
This recipe is AMAZING. I stir it ❤️
Thanks, Kimberly!
Stacy, I didn’t know I’m Southern, but from your recipes, I ascertain that I am! My maternal grandparents were both gone before I was born. My grandmother was Irish, but my Mom thinks she heard my grandfather was from Kentucky. She probably cooked his favorites for him and passed them along to my Mom and I grew up eating them. Growing up in German Cincinnati with German paternal grandparents and a heavy amount of Irish, I never considered myself a Southerner, so thanks for that! Question: I remember how delicious my Mom’s butter beans were. I won’t ever use ham hocks because of digging out the bones as one of your commenters said. I do run to Honeybaked Ham right after Christmas to buy their ham bones which are pricey (the ones in my freezer are $12+) and are meaty. Probably too much for this recipe, right?
No, I think a ham bone would work just fine in this one. And as it relates to the hocks, I’ve never had to dig bones out. They hold together very well and you can use a pair of tong to simply remove the entire thing.
Try using Ham Shanks instead of Ham Hocks. More meat and a lot less fat.
sometimes Honey Baked Ham Store sells their ham bones at buy one get one free but I find they don’t advertise so call to ask. Many times they have a surplus of bones.
This is a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
This is pretty much the way I cook Limas and, or White Beans (aka Navy beans) …
I substitute pork riblets for the ham hock just because I don’t want to fool with picking bones.
The meat I cook separately till about 3/4 done to render out the oil & meat juices then add the meat to the beans in the last hour of slow simmering.
I use”flavored water” for boiling the beans — a mix of well water, homemade chicken stock with the schmaltz & dried onion flakes.
Just before the beans finish I pull out two, one-cup ladles of beans & smash them into a slurry which I pour back into the pot. This gives me a rich sauce that costs the beans & holds the meat flavor in…
Add sweet corn cornbread & fresh butter… chopped onions for garnish & crunch …
O.M.G.!!
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Jim!
Sounds awesome! I add a bit of garlic and use chix stock as well rather than water. Perfect for a winter day’s lunch or dinner. I will add some cubed ham from a boneless prepackaged ham steak about one hour before done. Yum Yum
Yum!!
Honey I’m southern and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, BUTTER BEANS and was reading through your recipe and I suddenly realized that you sir are missing the main ingredient to those BUTTER BEANS!!!!🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ IT’S THE BUTTER MAN, WHERE THE HECK IS THE BUTTER?? IT’S LITERALLY THE MAIN INGREDIENT!!!! 3/4 of 1 stick of butter. Do like I do, and just add the whole stick. TRY IT BUD, YOU WILL THANK ME LATER I SWEAR!!!!🤣🤣
My family has never put actual butter in butter beans, but I’ll be sure to try it that way next time. Thanks for setting me straight! 🙂
Yesssss!!!😍😍😂😂🤣🤣 How dare he forget the butter! 🙄🤭
Crystal, most Southerners actually do not use butter in the butter beans. I am a descendant of the Lee family of VA – no butter in the butter beans, honey. We’ve been making that dish since early colonial era.
I love to put ham hock in my butter bean gives it great flavor.
Yum! It does add great flavor!
Fantastic, just like Mom used to make. Thank you for sharing this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Not enough flavor for my taste buds. I used the crockpot receipt and 9 cups of water was too much. We like our butter beans in a gravy like sauce. I believe 6 cups of would suffice. I added a bay leaf and a little ham concentrate to give it more flavor.
Ham concentrate is a great idea to add flavor. I use it often in other recipes.
I am Guilty of being a Salt addict! SO I substituted 2 cans of ckn broth for water.i also Love Ham Hocks, but discovered Ham Shanks and think they have a little less fat but just the right amount. And more meat. Thank you for your recipe. I hope you don’t mind the tweaks .
I don’t mind at all! Thanks for sharing your variations!
Making these now…my in-laws would make navy bean soup, bake the leftovers and eat on bread with raw onion and mayo! One of my favorite sandwiches and lots of black pepper! I use lima beans and or navy beans.
Hope they turned out great for you!
Great recipe! However, the linked “science article” missed the entire reason beans must be soaked overnight and rinsed. Beans contain an anti-nutrient called lignins. It is a protein that interferes with nutrient absorption. Soaking and rinsing greatly reduce harmful lignins. Pressure cooking also greatly reduce lignins.
Thanks, Barry! Glad you enjoyed it! I’m not a food scientist, but I play one on tv… Of course, I’m just kidding. There’s so much info out there, I just want to be sure I’m not misrepresenting the facts and I’m always willing to learn. Do you know if this is the case with all beans? My understanding is that while it is labelled an anti-nutrient, lignin is also a source of dietary insoluble fiber. Did you know strawberries are super high in lignin?
Thank you for that advice and wisdom, I was going to soak mine but then saw I did not have to but this post brought me back to the right way, Thanks.
I am going to try this. I love a good pot of beans and ham. I usually use navy or white beans. I also add onion and carrots. My mom also taught me to soak overnight or quick soak if necessary.
Hope you’ll enjoy these!
Wonderful recipe, Stacey! Just like my mom and grandma make/made them! I’ve never tried making large limas and ham myself, but today it’s cool and rainy and I have a hankering. Can’t wait till dinner time! (Maybe I’ll stir up some cornbread or biscuits, too.)
Sure hope you enjoy them!
Can I cook the bean in instant pot?
Absolutely! Though you’ll need a different amount of water, I’d guess. I don’t have tons of experience with the Instant Pot. This might be helpful: https://bakemesomesugar.com/instant-pot-butter-beans/
I really appreciate all these recipes that I am discovering how to cook and making my family happy. Thank you for all the easy recipes that you post. I really enjoy making all these recipes. Please keep them coming so that I can be a pro just like you.
So glad to hear you’re getting some good use out of the recipes, Jeanette!
Southern Lima Bean Soup (Butter Beans)
Can baby lima beans be used ?
Sure! The dried baby limas should work, though the cook time might be shorter.
Could you give me a recommendation on a good brand of dry lima beans? Thanks
I typically buy Dixie Lily or Camellia brand.
Recipe worked great as written, only changes I made: I soaked the beans overnight, added a diced onion for flavor, used about 6 oz country ham pieces as I had on hand (next time may add more for more flavor), and used 8 cups water to start, after 1 hr cooking added additional 2 cups water, and I also added pepper and garlic powder at the start, but no salt – personal preference. After about 1.5 hours cooking after the initial 20 min boil they were ready, very tender and perfectly cooked and flavored. A great recipe, I used the larger white variety of lima/butter beans.
So glad you enjoyed these, David!
I’m trying your recipe, David.
Overnight soaking is important when using dried beans;
starting with 8 cups of water and adding 2 more after an hour is a good idea.
I bet the butter would be tasty…but I’d rather use pork for flavor.
May use your recipe, Stacey, at another time.
love large lima beans…which are not as easy to find in the store as they used to be.
i usually use left over ham from the holidays. take it out of the freezer as needed.
do it as you have here except i do saute a little onion before i add the beans. and somewhere in the simmering process add a tab of butter. they are called butter beans after all. good stuff.
Hope you enjoy them!
Search Cajun grocery, louisiana.
Comfort food from my childhood and I’m 85. My only additions are onions and bay leaves. I prefer a thick broth so I mash most of the beans. This next addition came in later years, thanks to the Magic Pan restaurant – add a little dry sherry to the bowl.
Thanks for the sherry tip, Clara!
I cooked “big lima beans” yesterday and they looked just like your last pan shown. So delicious with fried ham, turnip greens and cornbread!
Yum!
This is how my Mama cooked them and so do I. Pure comfort food, fry some cornbread and you got the best meal ever.
Agreed! Thanks, Lindy!
Cooked these dried lima beans for 9 hours trying to get them soft, they are still hard as a rock. I have too throw them out !!!!!!!
There’s definitely something wrong there. Typically, when beans won’t soften it means the beans are too old, your water is too hard, or there was some kind of acidic ingredient added to the recipe. Any chance it could be one of those?
Recipe was very simple. Followed every step which calls for 9 cups of water that you definitely don’t need. Unless of course if you want your Lima beans swimming.
Hey, Paula! Did you soak your beans before hand?
I love most variety of dried beans if ever water is needed to be added be sure it’s boiling water if not the beans will tend to be a bit hard
This is a great and tasty lama bean recipe I’ve made it more than once and I’m making it now as we speak
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this one, Kevin!
Thank you for this! My mom passed away in October, and while cleaning out her home I found a bag of dry large lima beans. I said to my husband that I’ve never done these myself, but remember them from my childhood. I wasn’t sure how, but now I do-thanks to you!
Love your site and your stories! Thank you <3
Thank you, Bobbie! I’m so sorry to hear about your mom.
I’ve started cooking them now. I put country ham pieces in them. I hope that will be enough salt. You said add pepper. I’m doing that now..They are in slow cooker.
Hope they turned out great for you! You can always add more salt if necessary.
Sounds good. I’m making them now
Hope they turn out great for you!
Thank you Stacey. I threw my bag away and could not remember. After soaking beans… I forgot how long to cook, thank you. Very good article, photos, and recipe. I was going to ask what tge secret ingredient is to avoid gas from beans and you said yiur mom said ginger. I am allergic to ginger so no on that but i thought it was baking soda. I am not sure so i won’t use that either but i will use a ham bone!!! Thank you!
I’m just not sure of a sure-fire way to eliminate it.
My grandmother used to add a small amount (maybe 1tsp) of banking soda to her beans. Didn’t affect the taste at all, but as she told me when I asked why, she said “It takes the fa•ts out of them”! Lol! It worked!
Ha! Thanks for the tip, Monty!
Mine turned out excellent. I used smoked turkey wings!!! Very tasty!!!
Yum! Those turkey wings work perfectly!
Excellent recipe
Thanks, Sande!
I make my beans almost like you do and I always soak my beans as my mom taught me to. I like to add a bag of frozen vegetables at the end. Cornbread with Lima Beans is a must!!
Agreed!
One thing about butter beans you don’t boil them hard you just let it come a rolling boil them let them boil, add more water each time they boil down. Them at the end once there done and you soup is thick add a 1/2 butter. Which is one stick. Just remember don’t boil your beans hard. You will have plump bean and hood pot Liquor.
I’m soaking my beans tonight
However I’m using chicken stock instead of water and will watch my salt
Can’t wait I love butter beans
Sure hope you’ll enjoy them!
Wayyyyy too much water! My beans turned to mush. Really upset over this recipe.
Oh I am so sorry this happened! Did you soak your beans first? Maybe they were cooked too long? About how long did you cook them?
The beans can be old. I have had this happen. Not sure why but this is the correct methodology.
Not being familiar with Southern Lima Beans, I followed your recipe to the letter, and was rewarded with a great pairing to tonight’s pot roast. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
It’s chilly in Philly today. So what better to make for dinner than some butter beans. These are exactly how I cook mine and for some reason was looking for a recipe. After coming across yours I instantly knew not to mess with perfection lol delicious tender and flavorful was the turn out. Enjoy your day!
Thanks and have a great day!
I had been looking for a great butter bean recipe for quite some time, since my usual canned go to was unavailable due to supply chain shortages; this one is just super. I will use slightly less water next time, maybe 8 cups and am going to try half chicken broth next time. It’s delicious and much better than the canned!
Thank you so much Glen!
I love your Recipe it is the same one I have used for years. For the people who are getting to much liquid what I do when this is starting to happen is I put a very clean towel on top of the slow cooker and then put the lid back on. This keeps the drips from forming on the lid and going back into the pot. I use this for a lot of things in the crockpot . Hope this helps someone.
Thanks for the wonderful “hack” Bessie!
Hi Stacey, My Mom used to cook butter beans until they were well done. Cook the water down so the broth was kind of thick. Then she added condensed milk to make more broth. They were great!!
This sounds amazing!
Hi Stacey,
Great recipe! I added thyme for a bit more flavor. Thank you for the recipe!
Sounds great!
Hi Stacey,
I have never made (or even ate) homemade butter beans before, but yours look a lot like the ones we used to buy years ago in a can. I don’t remember the brand name now, since I was a kid when Mom used to buy them. I don’t think I ever bought them as an adult, and I’m almost 60. 🙂 Anyway, my mom said she thought they were in a molasses sauce? Would that be right? I don’t even know what to use molasses for except molasses cookies. Lol. So I’m not sure if it would taste good in these beans or not. Yours look perfect to me though. And I am betting they taste so much better than canned. Thank you so much for the recipe. If you think molasses would be good in this recipe, could you let me know how to add it, and if I’d have to add anything else, like brown sugar or something? Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to taste these… and they sound heavenly with corn bread!
Hey, Patti! I’ve heard of putting molasses in beans like this that are baked, but can’t say that I remember hearing of folks putting it in ones made like this. I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I do, though.
Love your recipies. I have a hack I learned from my Aunt Opal. If Y’all don’t like ginger to help eliminate the after effects of enjoying a bowl of beans for supper , you can add a splash of 7-up Soda to the pot of beans while cooking.
I’ve not heard that one. Thanks for sharing.
I grew up with Joan of Arc canned beans that are still around.
Hi Stacey. I did this in the Instant Pot, slow cook, and high heat. It tastes delicious but it still has a lot of water. I’ll have to drain them. Any suggestions?
I don’t have tons of instant pot experience but probably just reduce the initial amount of water added!
My grandma made Lima bean in a slow cooker for all day it seamed . I am going to try your recipe in my slow cooker but I was wondering if I could Use chicken broth and half water?? Along with the other ingredients?
I have used chicken broth for my beans, boiling potatoes, some pastas depending on what I’m making and rice. It makes these so much more tasty 😋😊
The half water and half chicken broth should work fine!
I live in New Jersey and I’m making Lima beans as I write this at 1:08am with smoked turkey legs and homemade biscuits,yes i make homemade biscuits,i let my beans soak for about an hour then i boil the smoked turkey legs for a couple of hours,when there done I take them out and let them cool off so I can shred them,then I’ll add my lima beans to the smoked turkey leg water,I usually add more hot water,I’ll bring the lima beans to a boil then I’ll turn the flame down a bit,when the lima beans are just about done I’ll add a stick of butter and add the shredded smoked turkey legs,then I’ll put my homemade biscuits in the oven,it’s really a great tasting meal,I learned this recipe from my mom when I was growing up…
This sounds amazing!
Stacey, Have you heard this song about butter beans? Here’s the link. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/tZnczHVlv_Q
Ha! That’s great!
I love these beans but since they take soooo long to cook I don’t add the Honey Baked ham bone until the last hour of cooking. It’s probably not right but I also add diced carrots and celery in the last hour, it’s just the way I like them.
All that matters is that YOU like them!
These have been added to my rotation. They are perfect exactly as written. Thank you for your wonderful recipes. Everyone I have tried has been fantastic!
Thank you!
I love, love, love this page!!
I’m so glad!
Regarding a statement about soaking the beans…
I’m sorry to say but modern science has shown that boiling beans for 2 to 3 minutes and then soaking them overnight reduces the long chain sugar molecules which can cause gas and bloating.
Your mother was right.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/legumes/art-20044278
I cited a few sources as well. There are arguments on both sides of the fence. Regardless, you can certainly cook them without them being soaked.
Stacy I’m cooking your butter beans recipe today. Strolling through your recipes and got to your picture and saw you were a man!!! I too am a man but I love too cook. My wife and friends like my cooking. I guess I must be pretty good. Added a pinahiling of onion and garlic powder and a stick of butter to the recipe. Slow cooking. Should be interesting!!!! Doing a pot of greens also !!!
Sounds like a solid meal to me. Hope it turns out well for you!
Loved reading through your recipe with the back story of your Mom cooking them. I’ve never actually had a recipe, My Mom and my Grandmother both made great Butter Beans, exactly as you have written it. I’ve been making them for the past fifty years and I can close my eyes and see both my Mom and my Grandmother enjoying them along with me. Thanks for the memories.
I love it when a post can bring back memories like that! Thanks for sharing!
Great….now I want some “fat butter beans”! I use both chicken broth and ham hocks for mine, cooking the hocks some first. Reading this makes me realize I probably need to cool that liquid before adding the beans. My mom soaked all dried beans overnight, but I learned quickly not to soak theses or black eye peas.. add the cornbread and we are happy campers!
Cooking the broth with the hocks first is a great way to add more smoky flavor.
I love these beans anyway they are cooked.
One problem my husband DOES NOT.
My mom made them like yours does, so that is how I make them.
The comment about freezing the cornbread with them, now that is smart thinking.
Have a blessed day.🌹
Thanks, Faye! You, too!
Fresh butter beans from your garden are a completely different food from dried Lima beans. Both are delicious, but not the same. The fresh beans are delicate, require very little cooking time, and do not need aggressive seasoning – a few slices of bacon or fatback, a small ham chunk, even just a half stick of butter, salt snd pepper is all it takes.
Dried limas are a hearty one-dish meal. This recipe covers the basics, but I do an enriched version. Make the ham stock ahead to produce a rich, highly seasoned broth for the dried (unsoaked) beans. I start with a base of canned or homemade chicken Stock, add ham hock or bone, smoked bacon, chopped onion, minced garlic, dried herbs (like thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, marjoram), and pepper. When stock has cooked 2 or 3 hours, let it cool, skim off excess fat, then strain into a large pot. Shred ham pieces and set aside. Add beans, bring to boil and cook at low boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour or until tender, but not falling apart. Gently stir in reserved ham shreds. Taste and adjust seasoning, add hot pepper flakes if desired, snd serve in bowls with some of the broth. The cooked beans can be held for a few hours if desired. Just reheat gently on medium before serving. Don’t stir vigorously or you’ll destroy the structure. Serve with hot cornbread or a hearty rustic yeast bread for sopping the juice. (Make ahead ti:: prepare the stock a day or two ahead snd store in refrigerator after straining, reserving ham shreds in a separate container. Reheat the stock before continuing with recipe.)
While they both are lima beans, they sure do produce different dishes, don’t they? Your version sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the links Stacey! I have pintos in my pantry and keep putting off cooking them because I forget to soak them. But now I don’t have to! I have a Texas recipe for dried butter beans that’s good but I’m going to try yours. 🙂
You’re so welcome! Hope you enjoy this version.
Good Afternoon Stacey:
Getting hungry just reading recipe LOL. Had a girlfriend from Alabama and she learned from her mom to make lima beans with chicken wings. They were awesome. No real recipe.. soaked beans overnight, added water, chopped onions, salt, pepper, a “pile of chicken wings”… viola! Cook till done. Just love those down to earth recipes…just get it done. Was wondering if you ever heard of that one?
I have ham and a ham bone from Honey Baked Ham in freezer. Just happen to have a big ol’ bag of lima beans sitting on my kitchen counter. Hmmmm….. 🙂 I see this meal in my future.
Also, have you ever made this in the Instant Pot? Am guessing about 25 minutes or so? Less water if soaked overnight?
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, each one is like a warm hug. Enjoy your recipes and writing immensely.
I have certainly heard of cooking them with smoked turkey wings but can’t say I have ever heard of cooking them with chicken wings. Did she use raw chicken wings?
My mom uses the instant pot to cook lima beans all the time but I have never done this. Her’s are always delicious! Maybe someone can chime in with a recipe for us.
WOW… smoked turkey wings..this is getting better and better! LOL I do a goodly amount of cooking of using smoked turkey wings. Now I have another reason to do more. Will be looking forward to that Instant Pot Lima Bean Recipe!
Stacey, would we be able to get your Mom’s Instant Pot recipe? If you say it’s good… that about seals the deal.
Let me see if I can get her to write it down for us…
That would be fantastic! No doubt there are many others that would love getting those yummy beans into the Instant Pot.
This is exactly how I’ve done mine for 50-odd years. And boy some of those years have been odd!
The only dried bean that I cook in a non-standard way is pinto beans. Dallas water is super hard, and every once in a while you can cook beans til the cows come home and they stay hard as a rock. An old chuckwagon cook gave me a tip to help with that. Put your beans on with enough water to cover them, put like 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. baking soda in them, and get them to a good rolling boil for about five minutes.
Drain, rinse real good, and do it all over again. I do like 2 to 3 waters this way, especially if the water smells really chlorinated. The last time rinse the daylights out of them and cook them as usual from there.
I have never had a problem with the beans staying hard with this method, and I tend to not be a “soak them overnight” kinda gal. It does take a few minutes but I do beans on lazy days anyhow.
Happy new year to all the Southern Bite family!
Hi Jane: Duhhh…about soaking and rinsing…should have read yours. 🙂 prior to dashing off my comment. Am guessing that the double rinse would also work for us here in Las Vegas, we have super hard and chlorinated water also. I do however use the filtered water from our fridge. And that does help. I think you also saved the hard bean issue with the baking soda. That has happened a couple times to me also.
Now I would also like to make these little gems in the Instant Pot versus Slow Cooker. Looking for a recipe on that one too.
Thanks for including your bits and tips of information, just love sharing. Have a super day.
Love hearing about those tried and true methods! Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!
Oh my god. Cream in lima beans. Butter in lima beans. I grew up on Louisiana cooking and have never heard of that. No wonder so many people are dying of heart attacks, obesity, and diabetes. Oh well. Still I respect the original simple recipe for these beans. It’s what I have always done.
My mother use to make these for lunch when we came home from school at lunch time. We ate them with bread and butter and it was my favorite lunch . I’ve never made mine as good as hers but I’m going to try some of these suggestions. Thanks for the recipe and all the comments!
Such sweet memories, Jane! Thanks for sharing!
And ya can’t call it butter if it’s margarine no matter who manufactures it…LOL
Ha! No argument here. 🙂
Hello Stacey – how can I make this soup using canned beans?
Hmmm… This recipe is really more about cooking beans from dry. Canned beans would be the same as the result from cooking these.
My grandmother put dumplings in her dried butter beans! Made them creamy. We loved them!
Yum!!
When did she add the dumplings in with the butter beans ? At the beginning or like the last hour or so?
One of my favorite meals is butterbeans and cornbread! Yours look amazing! I think your recipe is similar to the one I was taught by my grandmother.
Thank you, Debby!
As a child growing up, we had these dried large beans and a thick liquid with them. After we had eaten them for awhile, my mother would put them into a baking dish (with some, but not all of the liquid) and add some home canned tomato chunks to the beans. She added a small diced onion to the banking dish. A small amount of dark brown sugar was added too. Strips of bacon were laid on top of the casserole dish and baked in the oven. That baked bean dish was heavenly!
I laughed when someone blogged the beans were called Johnson ears; biggity beans, mule ears….great stories. That is what is so interesting about your website…..the bloggers post wonderful life time stories!
That sounds absolutely delicious, Virginia! Thanks for sharing!!
I have a question. Is there anything wrong when your butter beans split upon soaking or Cooking? This is the 1st time this has happened.
While they might not look as pretty, they’re perfectly fine. Sometimes that happens when the inside of the bean hydrates faster than the skin and they split. Some say soaking in salted water helps this, but I’ve not tested it, per se.
Stacey, this is a question rather than a comment. My mother use to serve these beans with a jelly. I can taste it now as I type but cannot remember the type of jelly. Do you or any of your readers have any idea what jelly goes with this meal?
Hi Abby! I’ve heard of serving them with ketchup, but I’m not sure I’ve heard of jelly. Maybe someone else will chime in and help us out!
Beng from the Caribbean we love butter beans in our oxtails made similar to beef stew. I have dried and cans in my kitchen. If I make them southern style I use smoked Turkey legs, wings or necks for my meat so delicious. Thanks for sharing
Sounds amazing!
Grandma Yeager used to serve quince jelly with her lima beans…mmm! She was from Pennsylvania Dutch country; don’t know if that was a ‘thing’ there or not, but just wow!
Love, Love Butter Beans but alas none in my family likes them. But I have a neighbor who’s also crazy about them. The only difference is that last year when I reached for the 2 pack ham hocks it was close to $8. WOW. So I’m standing there with another women who picks up a pkg of smoked neck bones, half the price, and said I started using these and while it takes more time to shred the flavor is great and much more meat that the hocks. So bought them and they were everything she said. Learned to cook the bones the day before, cool overnight and cook beans in the water from the meat and pick the bones the next day. Yep, more time consuming but so much meat I was blown away. That’s all I use now.
Thanks for the great tips!
I had a taste for Lime Beans, so I decided to try this recipe. This was my very first time cooking lime beans. I cooked the beans in a Crockpot on high, the beans and smoked turkey was cooked within 3 hours. In addition, I had to drain 4 cups of liquid from the finished dish. I was well pleased with the outcome. Next time I will reduce the water to 4.5 cups instead of 9. My family absolutely love it. I forgot to take a photo, we devoured the dish immediately.
So glad to hear y’all enjoyed them!
My mother passed away a week ago and this was one of my favorite dishes she made. She used chopped ham steak and a little onion. Should I sauté those first or how would I add those in?
Yes, I think I’d sauté them to start, then add the water and ham hock. Enjoy!
Can this be done in a pressure cooker? If so do you know what the time adjustments would be?
I’ve not done that, but it should work. I would keep the measurements the same and cook them on high pressure for about 30 minutes followed by a 15 to 20 minute natural pressure release. Just be sure not to overfill your pressure cooker.
I’ve done them in the Instant Pot with a ham bone and they were awesome! The pressure releases the marrow in the bone by cracking it open, making the beans even more flavorful!
I like to cook and bake, but for butter beans I just purchase a can of Hanover’s Butter beans, add 1 tbls.. butter and 1 tbls. catsup….yum. I am a widow and do not want to cook up a whole pot of beans ! I have them with corn muffins and fruit for lunch .
I totally understand that! I can’t say I’ve ever tried Hanovers, but sounds like I should!
My Mom made these for dinner frequently and I loved them! But she added a tomato sauce near the end of cooking. Unfortunately her recipe passed with her. Once she said the tomato sauce was just tomato soup! Any ideas? I also think she added garlic…because she added garlic to everything!
I don’t have anything quite like that, but it sounds amazing! Were they sweet at all?
Oh forgot the rice! Add leftover rice when you add beans.
This is going to sound crazy but I promise it is very good! The ketchup comment reminded me of it lol. Sauté an onion with salt and pepper. Add a large can of diced tomatoes and half can of water. Let simmer a few minutes. Add one package of Ball Park franks (sliced in bite size circles) and leftover Lima beans. Cook until heated through. Completely changes it up! One of our favorites as kids to eat next day for lunch ????
I’d certainly give it a try! Thanks for sharing, Brandi!!
This is how I make them as well I use smoked turkey necks so delish. Do you have any idea how to cook them in pressure cooker /air fryer? It does both just change the lids. Thanks ahead of time…
Thanks, Brandy! Unfortunately I don’t have much pressure cooker experience, but I bet someone else does and might be able to jump on and answer that for you.
I call them white limas and green limas – I grew up all over the south – Thanks for all the post – I enjoyed reading all – I did soak mine for a few hours today but probably never will again LOL- Usually add a ham hock but do not have one today so adding leftover frozen ham and jalapeño sausage link-should be ok!! Can’t wait!!!
Sounds great! Hope they turned out great for you!
I cooked these beans all day in a show cooker but there’s still so much liquid it’s more like bean soup. Any suggestions?
Cooking them in a slow cooker doesn’t allow for much evaporation so they will certainly have more liquid. You can always ladle some out.
I GREW UP DURING WW11. IN THE NETHERLANDS.THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR WE LIVED ON 400 CALORIES PER DAY. MY FATHER GOT A BASKET OF LIMA BEANS FROM A BULB GROWER AND MY MOM WOULD ADD A HANDFUL OF BEANS TO A PAN OF WATER WITH SUGAR BEETS, CABBAGE, CARROTS AND YES, EVEN SOME TULIP BULBS. NOT VERY GOOD TASTING. BUT THEY KEPT US ALIVE! I NOW FEEL SO FORTUNATE I CAN COOK THE BEANS WITH WHATEVER I HAVE IN MY KITCHEN.
What a remarkable story!
It is! We really take a lot for granted these days.
I used pork jowl instead of hock and added acv. They were absolutely delicious. I made a huge batch and froze the rest and it’s just as good reheated, maybe better.
You’ve got my mouth watering! Glad they turned out great for you!
I usually like these over white rice with pepper vinegar splashed all over it. The thick broth mixes with the rice to make a stew.
Sounds delicious to me!
I make a soup out of dried beans either large or small (and I do soak) and always with a good cottage ham. I cut the ham in half to get the most flavor and also add lots of chopped onion. The cottage ham makes this recipe. The meat comes out super tender and silky.
That sounds delicious!!
My favorite meal growing up, butter beans, fried chicken and my mamas biscuits. I loved the butter beans so much that when I had my tonsils out at age 30 it was all they could get me to eat.
Ha! They’re a favorite of mine, too!
And reducing cooking time means you don’t heat up your kitchen in the summer, then using more energy (AC) to cool things down. It does seem Texas needs to learn a bit about energy.
Can you actually stir the beans too much? The reason I ask is because I was trying to get the liquid broth around my beans but it seems that the broth solidified too much. I like the broth to be where you can actually drink it. I tried to keep the water level over the beans at the right level while cooking. How can I make sure I have the liquid broth and not with the mashed potatoe texture?
Yes. Stirring them too much with break the beans up and kinda turn them into mush.
Thats what I was thinking also. Perhaps I just stirred a little too much but you know another thing is that every time I soak the beans overnight , my broth turns out very nice, not mushy. I tried his method of not soaking the beans overnight and thats where I ran into trouble but I think it was because maybe I stirred a little too much. Thank you for your input !
We like to make bean salad with butter fat beans. We just used canned butter fat beans oil and vinegar salt and pepper and minced garlic. I cannot find nor have been able to find for over a year canned butter fat beans. If anyone knows where I can find them, please let me know. I live in New Hampshire.
I’ve never heard of “butter fat” beans.
Do they look like butter/lima beans?
Love the website!! New commer!!
Welcome! Thanks so much!
You’re recipe is the way I was taught to cook dried lima beans and ham, however I throw in one or two Bay leaves. My brother-in-law always called the large limas “choke beans”! I have a pot on the stove right now. Going to make a pone of cornbread to go with it. Yum!
Sounds like the perfect supper to me!
My mom taught me to cook dried limas and I soak them because of tradition. I also serve them in a bowl topped with chopped fresh tomatoes, onions and red wine vinegar. A homemade hot biscuit makes this a full and hearty meal.
I am glad some of the old ways aren’t forgotten.
Sounds great, Pam!
I used to soak mine because my mom did.. however I love this method. Excellent recipe! I added about 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and 4Tof butter near the end!
Glad you’ve enjoyed it, Dawn! The evap milk and butter sound like perfect additions!
No need to soak overnight?
Actually, no. Be sure to read the post. I mention it several times.
Stacey, soaked my beans overnight and there were tons of bean “skins”. I guess they help thicken the soup? Was I supposed to cull through them and remove them before cooking? (It would have been about 1/2 of the bean volume! Just wondering…
Hi Ella! I don’t normally soak my beans, so I’ve not had that problem much. I think it’s a matter of preference. You can take them off, but the the beans will essentially cook to mush. Lots of folks like that, others, not so much.
Add cream of mushroom soup delicious
I’ll have to try that! Sounds great! Thanks for sharing.
If you do use a slow cooker does the stirring rule still apply? I’ve done these both ways–on the stove and in the crock and one time they turned out not creamy or flavorful, and I think it was the crock method. But I can’t remember. Ask your mom. Otherwise this is my go-to comfort food. I’ve loved lima beans since I was a kid and my mom never understood it. I finally had to learn to make these after having them in a soul food restaurant in Amarillo. Unforgettable.
I think you’d definitely want to take that top off and stir occasionally to get them creamy. You’d just have to take into account that taking the top off will extend the cook time a bit.
I freeze leftover beans in a zip lock bag. Take out and put in saucepan and add a little water. Warm slowly without stirring.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!!!
Was always wondering if beans could be frozen after cooking. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for sharing, I did not know stirring would thicken the juice. I like the thicker juice. My husbands favorite meal over rice. I have used raw bacon in them while cooking
Yeah, it breaks up some of the beans and the starch causes them to thicken up. Hope you’ll enjoy them!!
Y’all must be from South East Texas equine successful in the way I fix this dish that I learned from my mom and my grandma and yes I do put ketchup on it Yum
Dying to try making this. My dad made this all the time when I was growing up. My question is…should I add butter, I remember my dad adding butter to the pot before it cooked all day
I think you can certainly add some butter if you wish.
I add chopped onion when cooking. Then when they’re cooked I add Bisquik dumplins to them. Just mix, drop by teaspoon (they swell), let them cook for a bit, turn each one over, cook the other side, and add one with your bowl of beans and some fresh raw chopped onion!
I love the idea of adding dumplings to this! Thanks for sharing, Karen!
Can this dish be frozen? Thank you, I am 76 and just learned how to make my Butter beans thick. Just stir them, how easy is that! Who says you can’t teach an old “dog” new tricks.
Hey, Dorothy! Unfortunately, I’ve not tried freezing them, so I can’t say for sure.
absolutely beans can be frozen. We dish them up in boy-snack sized portions to tide people over from football practice to suppertime. They reheat well in the microwave.
I always make a large bag at one time. I can eat for a couple days and then freeze small portions for later. Usually I add cornbread to the bag also. Always comes out just as good.
Thanks for sharing, Patt!
I must jump in about the name of these beans! I am from the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Growing up, we called them and still do, Biggety Beans. Why, Because they are big and we would know exactly what kind of butter bean we would be eating for supper. We always ate them over a bed of white rice with chopped onions and cornbread. YUM! YUM! Ya’ll this is good eat’n!
Thanks for sharing, Joy!
Stacey, this recipe does not call for soaking the beans overnight. Should I soak the dried beans overnight?
No, there’s no need. I talk about it above in the post. Be sure to check it out.
I would like to say something about this soaking controversy. Whether you soak your beans (any kind of bean) or not, really all depends on your elevation above sea level. If you live in south-east Texas, as I do, there is absolutely no reason in the world to soak a bean. If you live in some mountainous region that is way above sea level, you better soak them are they will never get done. I think the deciding elevation is 1400 feet above sea level, but not sure about that. Some point in between just means less soaking time. Hope this helps.
I’ve honestly never considered that. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!
You mean like at 5280 ft where I live? Sometimes they still don’t get properly done. And I got mine at Rancho Gordo and probably paid a fortune for shipping, but don’t care now,
just should have ordered more than a pound!
I absolutely love lima beans but I have never eaten them in tomatoes. Did you grow up eating them that way, & would you tell me how they are fixed plz?
Yep. Oddly, any form of lima bean seems to have fallen through some kind of COVID crack here in the southwest too. On a different note, based on a recent article in Bon Appetit mag, I made a pot of pintos last month without soaking for the first time ever. What it said made sense: if you want your beans to taste like water go ahead and soak them. If you want them to taste like the ingredients in your broth just start them from dry so they can soak all that stuff up. Those beans were good!
I totally agree! And if folks do decide to soak them, I recommend cooking them in the soaking liquid. They’ll have better flavor.
Having a heck of a time finding dried limas/butter beans here in Central Oregon since this covid thing.
But when I can get my hands on some, there is nothing better than a simple preporation like yours to bring out all the lucious flavor these beans have to offer.
Thank you.
Thanks, PattiAnn! I couldn’t agree more! Hope you can get your hands on some soon!
@Patty I live here in Perris,CA I will send you 2-3 bags of the butter beans if you really need them, no problem, no charge I love to eat too send PO BOX # and they are there!! I saw this post cause I don’t go on recipe blogs and I was looking for a recipe, so no problem my name is Chareou Condelee and I live at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, phone # XXXXXXXXXXX give me a call I can pick them up at our neighborhood Stater Bros store, going to get a bag tomorrow !!! lol for Valentine’s Day dinner!!
Have a Nice Day!!
Happy Valentines Day!!
I usually use chicken broth for half the liquid, which is different from how my Mama and Grandmama cooked them. I sometimes add a chopped sweet onion and a pinch of thyme. But dried limas are a perfect meal anyway you prepare them as long as you don’t omit the fatty, pork seasoning.
Sounds great and I’m always a fan of adding more flavor when you can!
If they are green, we called them Lima beans, dried, they are butter beans. The baby butter beans are my favorites.
It’s so interesting how folks seem to be one way or the other.
I soak the dried beans overnight in a large pot. I rinse the beans in the morning and then use my crockpot! Delicious!
My mom almost always does hers in the slow cooker now.
Do they still come out creamy or do you have to stir, even in the crock pot?
I think they need a little stirring in the crock pot, too.
I find that soaking these beans overnight makes them fall apart more. So I don’t soak them and they are intact for the most part. Some still fall apart but I like them that way; it makes thicker juice. We eat them with cornbread, onion and chow chow. That’s all I need with them unless I have have some fresh green tomatoes to fry. Now that is a good southern meal!
Definitely!
Contrary to what the author says, science does tell us there’s a reason to soak beans. They produce complex sugars we’re not all able to digest, which accounts for bean’s reputations for flatulence. Soaking beans gets rid of many of those complex carbohydrates. And reducing cooking time is not an inconsequential benefit. I do lots of low energy and solar cooking and reduced cooking time matters if you don’t want to use a lot of extra energy.
It’s not just something I’ve made up. Here are a few resources from some well-respected institutions:
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/soaking-dried-beans-overnight-necessary
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/soaking-salting-dried-bean-myths-article
https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-dont-soak-dried-beans-20140911-story.html
https://www.foodandwine.com/beans-legumes/do-beans-need-to-be-soaked-before-cooking
Just wanted to say that the culinary world may feel there is no need to soak, but dietary reasons support soaking them. Most seeds contain substances that inhibit adsorption of nutrients and need these substances soaked out of them so that we can better use their nutrients. In nature these substances would be soaked out of the seeds with the spring rains and inhibit the growth of nearby plants, thus giving the seedling a head start. Beans need to be soaked and the soaking water dumped so that we do not ingest these substances and thereby inhibit our ability to absorb their nutrients, especially iron. Not soaking once in a while may not hurt, but over the long term can cause low iron and other deficiencies.
Hi TJ! Do you have a source for this info? I’d like to do some more research and consult a registered dietitian friend of mine for more info. Thanks!
I always soak the night before with a little baking soda, then rinse well the next morning. Maybe my imagination but it seems to reduce the gas the beans can cause. Key word: a little baking soda. One time I used too much and had to throw out the whole pot because it tasted like baking soda! Always use ham hock & a whole onion!
Funny story, and I’m giving away my age here. When I was a little girl visiting my grandparents on their farm in southern Kentucky my granny cooked these beans quite often. My granddaddy called them “Johnson ears”, as in President Lyndon Johnson who had quite large ears. That always made us kids giggle.
That’s hilarious!! Thanks for sharing!
You are so right about the stirring. The creamy broth is the best part of this dish.
They’re just not the same without that thick, creamy broth!
This is my favorite bean. Yes is awesome
with a piece of cornbread and onion. ????????
Sounds so good!
We eat them on cornbread with sliced onion and hard boiled eggs! Yum. That will be our dinner tonight!
My mommy parboiled them because it left a yucky taste if you didn’t. Then she would rinse them and returned to the stove in fresh water and let them cook stirring often and about 20 minutes before serving she added 1(one) stick of parkay margarine. Fry up some taters, make cornbread and mmm mmm that is butter beans. I like them with ham hocks but nothing beats my mommy’s butter beans. After all you can’t called butter beans without the butter, otherwise they are just a lima bean.
It’s so fun to hear about how folks call different foods different names! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!!
my grandmother would also parboil them, then she would pour off the water and add new water to finish cooking them.
I’ve certainly heard of folks doing that.
When I use the Crock Pot or the pressure cooker, when almost done, I dip a cup or two out of the pot and smash them up with a fork. Then put them back into the pot and stir. This helps give them the thick, creamy liquid. Taste wonderful!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Although this recipe sounds wonderful, my favorite way too have them is cooked in butter and a little cream. Then sooon them over buttered homemade bread. ❤️ I have always bought them in a can but tonight thy are soaking all night. I just made home bread today. I would love them with ham hock or baked the Greek way in tomato sauce.
I’ve yet to try them in the tomato sauce, but it’s on my list!
me too. We didn’t have a lot of meat growing up but we did get butter from commodity
Here’s another tip: if you’ve been wondering what do with that terrific Honey-Baked Ham bone from Thanksgiving, a pot of butter beans is the perfect dish to use it, but make it with 2 lbs. of beans.
I have a friend who uses the dripping from honey baked ham for limas, great northern and navy beans. Delicious!
Yum! Great idea!
I tried that but the honey baked makes it too sweet.
You must be from Southeast Texas that’s exactly how I fix those beans that I learned from my mom and my grandma D licious pinto beans fix that Way too are really really good and I do put catchup on them LOL
I’m from Southeast Texas and am drooling over that picture! lol!!!
I grew up in central Texas and butter beans was a favorite of mine. One tip I’ve learned over the years is a stick of unsalted butter and some onion salteed in the butter. Also, leaving out the ham and salt until the beans are tender makes for a much creamier texture. I also follow someone else’s tip of mashing some if they aren’t quite as creamy as I like when done.
Thanks for sharing your tips, Susan!
I’ve made this recipe a couple times now. Great flavors – I love it but can anyone tell me why (the second time) mine had a bitter aftertaste? Maybe I cooked them too long?
Yes. The bitterness is often the result of overcooking. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them!
Grandma never measured a thing, she earned from her mom, she never learned to read either. She used Lard in her biscuits, pinched off a biscuit size piece, and placed in a bowl with watered down buttermilk to use as her starter.
I’ve used Corn Starch that I mix with water and pour it into my beans to thicken them, no lumps that way.
I do the smashing too but lose a lot of beans so gonna try stirring them more tonight…serving with cornbread like we Texans do😋
Hope you’ll enjoy.
I have always done a meal in a pot. I brown and season pork chops or pork steak in my wok using two slices of bacon cut up and about 3 tablespoons of butter. I moved the batter up to the sides of the rock once it starts to get done. When the meat is seared, I add water, mushrooms and beans and cook until beans are tender.’The broth with seared meat flavor is so good!
Sounds great!
Great idea! Thank you for sharing this.
Glad you liked it!