Butter Beans and Ham

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

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.

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

Serves 12.

Photo credit: jeffreyw / CC BY