Butter Beans and Ham

Butter Beans and Ham is loved by Southerners and almost everyone else!

Butter Beans and Ham

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound large butter beans or baby lima beans
  • 1 large smoked ham hock or leftover baked ham
  • 1 medium size yellow onion, quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium size yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Half fill a large saucepan with water and stir in the beans, ham hock, quartered onion, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
  2. Drain the beans, reserving all of the liquid and discarding the onions, garlic and bay leaves. Transfer the beans to a bowl and the ham hock to a cutting board. Cut the meat into small pieces. Discard the bone.
  3. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes or until tender.
  4. Stir in the ham and enough reserved bean liquid to make the beans soupy; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the beans, red pepper sauce, salt and black pepper. Heat for 3 minutes.

Notes

Nutrition information: Serving: 1g | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 785mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg

Photo credit: jeffreyw / CC BY