Ham Hocks and Lima Beans
This is that stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that'll have everybody coming back for seconds. Those smoky ham hocks cook down low and slow, turning those butter beans tender and flavoring them so good you'll want to sop up every bit of that pot liquor with some cornbread. It's the kind of dish that makes the whole house smell like Sunday.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 2 lbs smoked ham hocks
- 1 lb dried large lima beans (butter beans)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 8 cups water (or chicken broth for extra flavor)
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- 1
Rinse your lima beans real good in cold water, picking out any stones or bad beans. No need to soak them overnight for this recipe.
- 2
In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, add the ham hocks and 8 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to get that ham hock flavor going.
- 3
Add the lima beans, onion, garlic, bell pepper, bay leaves, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and seasoned salt to the pot. Stir everything together real good.
- 4
Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- 5
Check your beans — they should be tender and creamy. If they need more time, keep cooking and add a little more water if it's getting too thick.
- 6
When the beans are done, remove the ham hocks and let them cool just enough to handle. Pull that good meat off the bones, chop it up, and stir it back into the beans.
- 7
Stir in the butter, taste your pot liquor, and add more salt if you need it. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- 8
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving — this lets everything settle and get even better.
Pro Tips
- ★If your pot liquor is too thin, mash up a few of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them in — that'll thicken it right up naturally.
- ★This tastes even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to marry, so don't be afraid to make it ahead.