A recipe for Butter Beans cooked southern-style with salt pork. The beans are slow-simmered and create a creamy-like sauce without adding any cream or milk.
Butter Beans Southern-Style Recipe
It was a typical family dinner at my in-law's house. A big southern feast filled the table. Two main dishes were not uncommon.
The sides were plentiful including creamed corn, green beans, macaroni and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes, and fried okra.
One thing was new to me and it was butter beans. I don't remember ever having it as a kid.
One bite was all it took. Since then it is something I've looked forward to my mother-in-law cooking over the years.
There are two types of southern butter beans. One is made with fresh baby or small green lima beans and has a butter sauce.
The other is made with large dried beige limas and is slow-simmered for hours. The second creates a creamy-like sauce without adding cream or milk.
It's obvious I'm sharing the recipe for the latter. To be honest, it's all I knew were butter beans until I did some research and discovered the other one.
I suppose it all depends on what you relate to the name.
Creaminess comes from the cooking process. Slow-simmering with only enough water to keep the beans covered creates a thick "sauce."
If you add too much water it will be thin and not have the right consistency. It means checking them about every 20 minutes and adding a little water if needed.
That does take more effort however the end result is worth it.
It's also important not to stir unless necessary. Stirring will break the beans apart and turn a lot of them into mush. The most I do is gently nudge them around with a wooden spoon once or twice.
The recipe came from my mother-in-law. I had a couple of discussions with her to get all the details.
She calls what is used to simmer with the beans "streak o' lean." It's also called fatback or salt pork.
I stated salt pork in the ingredients since that is what it is typically labeled as in the grocery store. I buy it sliced however you can buy it whole and cut slices.
Have you cooked a family recipe lately? This was the first time I made butter beans because I always relied on getting them at my mother-in-law's house.
It is important to learn directly from the ones who make the dishes so wonderfully. I encourage you to do the same with your family and have a lot of fun in the process.
Fun Facts About Butter Beans
- Is there another name for butter beans? Butter beans are one type of lima beans.
- What's the difference between lima beans and butter beans? There's no difference between lima beans and butter beans, because butter beans are a type of lima bean.
- What are butter beans good for? Butter beans can be used just like any other bean-for slow cooking, as a side dish, as hummus, or in a mixture with other beans.
- Can you buy canned butter beans? Yes, you can buy canned butter beans, but they shouldn't be used in a slow-cooked recipe or they will fall apart.
- What's the history of butter beans? Butter beans, or lima beans, originated in Peru as a food reserved for the elite.
What to Serve with Lima Beans
Butter Beans Southern-Style
Ingredients
- 6 ounces salt pork 6 thick slices
- 1 pound large lima beans
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and drain beans.
- Put salt pork slices in the bottom of a large 7 to 8 quart pot. Pour the beans on top.
- Cover the beans with about a half-inch of water.
- Bring to a slow boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Do not let get to a full rolling boil.
- Cover the pot loosely. Check every 20 to 25 minutes and add more water just to cover the beans.
- After 1 to 1 ½ hours, add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Continue to simmer, adding more water as needed, until beans are soft, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
- Remove and discard salt pork slices.
- Add pepper and gently stir. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Renee, these beans look so creamy. I could make a meal out of a big ol' bowl of beans. Pinned!
Thanks Jennie. These beans and a big slab of cornbread is a meal to me.
Me too, my husbands favorite. But my favorite is pinto beans cornbread and a slice of onion. That my meal.
Don't forget a really big glass of sweet iced tea,and just maybe some cold sliced beets/finely processed sweet coleslaw!!! Your beans arebeautiful and creamy. .CORN BREAD INDEED. (crumbled into the bean soup)
Forgive this old(very old southern man for turning your banquet into a feast.
My butter beans are on the stove and smelling. Mahh--vah-- luss🤗
Streak o' lean and salt pork are not the same. Salt pork and fatback are the same, they are both just fat. But streak o' lean has streak of lean meat in between the layers of fat, just like the name implies. However, additional salt is totally unnecessary, as the salt pork/ fatback or streak o'lean imparts more than enough salt to this southern dish.
Streak o lean where I come from is Salt Pork or pork fat, I believe that many call it same.
Fat back comes from the back of the pig and is generally all fat and may be rendered into lard (some *may come from the sides of pork belly but has a miniscule amount of meat). Salt pork is cured unsmoked pork belly with roughly equal proportion of meat and fat. Streak o' lean is the same as salt pork with a high proportion of meat to fat ratio akin to bacon.
Do you soak your beans? Im asking because an ole friend of mine wants me to cook some butter beans and it will be my first time but he told me soak them. I want them to be perfect like yours. And he said to use salt only.
My late sister-in-law taught me how to make the best butter beans! You always make sure that the broth is a little liquidy; but after they are completely done, you put just enough instant mashed potato flakes that you can hold in your clenched hand (about 2 level tablespoons) and put them in the butter beans. Stir the mixture gently; cover and let the beans sit on the stove for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add a large can of canned milk. Try it...they are the most wonderful butter beans that I have ever eaten!
I haven't heard of adding potato flakes and canned milk. Interesting. I'll have to try that some time.
Canned milk? Eagle? Sweetened condensed? Please advise
Definitely not sweetened condensed milk. Too sugary. Most likely, Maryann is referring to evaporated milk.
Ahhh, good Southern living at its best with Miss Renee! Very interesting that a cream is created simply by letting the beans cook for a bit =)
I love vicariously living the life of a Southern belle via Magnolia Days =)
Thanks Kim. And yes, the magic "creamy" sauce these beans make. It's so wonderful.
People call it "pot liquor" cause it's as good as alcohol ! Cooking several different beans can have pot liquor, like green beans, IF you put seasoning and spice in them, and usually ham of some sort. Great expression. !
Even though we're northern, my mother always made lima beans and I still love them. I didn't know they were called butter beans until a few years ago and it's actually a great name. 🙂
Interesting how the same beans can be called different things in various areas. I do like the name butter beans too.
I have unopened bags of dried beans and never use them. The idea of dumping them in a pot and hours later having this silky plate of beans sounds like a plan Renee! Maybe add some bacon..:)
Bacon is a great substitute for salt pork. Use thick slices if you have them.
I think its better!
You can wash them & soak them for a few hours. They cook faster.
I use a little bacon grease and put butter in mine
Sounds good to me!
So doing that!
What can I substitute for the pork?
You can cook them without the pork however I'm not sure what the final taste would be like. You could add some seasonings or perhaps cook them with a smoked turkey leg. That would give them a little smoky flavor too.
I have been eating Butter Beans for years with no meat it is the best!
I have put some ham juice and cut up small pieces of ham !!! Love it !! I know it sounds a little wired but.... try adding a little ketchup in with your bowl of beans. Love It that way too !! Hope you in joy !!
We always have a spiral ham at our family feasts. We save the bone and freeze it, and later use it things like this.
Add butter...be generous too! I also like to add chicken boullion. Tastes great! Just like mom's.
I was looking for someone to say that they actually use butter.... Because just when my beans are done I throw in a stick of butter..... Soooo Good... It's gives the beans a more savory taste.... Comfort food.
@Shirley, I am halal, but not my entire life, only the past 1 1/2 years. Bacon is one of my long lost loves lol. I would recommend adding liquid smoke and chicken bullion cube to taste
One of my favorite meals! Just a little cornbread and I'm all set!! YUM!
I like to crumble the cornbread on top of the beans too.
Whoa... you had me at butterbeans... I just stumbled across your blog, and boy am I glad I did! I am a southern girl, with a love for all foods southern and southern inspired. This recipe looks amazing. Growing up, we had the former (baby, smaller) butter beans just about every single Sunday, that or field peas (crowder or black-eyed), but this recipe looks amazing and I can't wait to try it. I live in Northern Virginia now, but I agree w/Kalamity Kelli, this and some cornbread is just about right for the fall. Thank you!
Thank you so much and I'm glad you found my blog! Nice to have such a wonderful compliment from another southerner.
I so love butter beans. I remember how creamy my mother's butter beans were. Your beans look beautiful!
Thanks Alaiyo
In Alabama we called the green ones butterbeans and the big dried ones were Lima's. We love to chip up some ham (from the leftover ham bone they were cooked with) to add to it and serve over rice. Good winter meal!
Ham in these beans would be wonderful! I'm thinking next time I make them I'll use a ham bone instead of salt pork.
Hello Rene
I'm from "Southern " Idaho and Butter Beans was a meal passed down since before my Grandmother.
We used a ham bone or half a ham steak cubed a onion chopped and most importantly ,
One quarter cube of "Butter"!!
A couple twists from the pepper grinder and a couple hrs on the stove to simmer
Someone else on your blog suggested a little Ketchup
It adds some color if you like and some added flavor but better without
Enjoy my family's Butter Beans with real butter!!
Hello Max,
A ham bone sounds good to me, too. I need to give that a try with some real butter! Thanks!
I've used ham hocks too. Delicious!!!
I miss my Momma so much. One of my favorite memories are her Butter Beans. Thank you!
Funny, we always called the green ones lima beans and the white ones butter beans lol. My hubby's family called navy beans "jean" beans cause his sister Jean loved them lol
That's funny! Seems like different places and different families can have different names for the same things.
Beginning cook here. I just returned from my first trip to New Orleans and fell in love with butter beans. I can't wait to try your recipe, but I'm not sure if I should use dried beans and soak them overnight. Thanks for your help.
Use dried beans and they do not need an overnight soak.
Hi! I just found your blog after returning from a trip to Mississippi. Did you start with canned beans, or overnight-soaked beans? Thanks!
You start with dried beans and you do not need to soak them overnight first.
Can I use frozen lima beans? Or will it not make the sauce?
You need to use dried beans. Using frozen ones will not have the same results.
Frozsn ones will create the sauce if you cook them down long enough(45 minutes to an hour simmered) and add a half stick of butter. My husband and I don't eat pork so I use a vegetable buillion cube and or smoked turkey wings, chopped onion, and one finally chopped garlic clove and sometimes a bay leaf. Thanks for the recipe.
Good to know! It's helpful to have an option for no pork.
I've had my beans soaking all night. I'm make them for dinner. love, love them but instead of the salt pork using left over ham and ham bone. can hardly wait until dinner. yum
'
Any of those ham choices are good for the beans. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
You leave the cooker off all night
I make these when it's cold outside. They are great! Have you tried green butter beans, ham and pastry? Make it like chicken pastry. It's great too. Thanks for this wonderful website.
I have not tried the green butter beans (or if I did I thought they were something else). Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Thanks for sharing. The small green limas (Ford Hook)can be used in a lima bean casserole. That idea came to me from up North. Got to try it!
I will look for a lima bean casserole recipe with the small green limas. Thanks.
Thanks for your recipe! Also from the South .. Africa though 😉
Have been cooking same as you but without something smokey - can't wait to try yours.
Thanks Johann and nice to have you visit virtually from South Africa.
Hi! Though I am a second generation NorCal girl,I spent much of my growing years eating at my Okie grandparents' table, and butter beans were always a favorite. As an adult, it took me YEARS to find the dried beans again but recently I did (and bought every bag they had!). I've become a vegetarian, so I'll use a little natural Liquid Smoke in mine. I wanted to ask though; have you (or any of the other folks posting here) ever tried making them in a slow cooker? Thanks.
I have not tried making them in a slow-cooker so I cannot say if they would turn out the same.
I always cook my butter beans or any dried beans in my crock pot, on low for 8 hours.......soooo good and east.
I am from the far south, Texas.
My mother always had pinto beans cooked for me when I came home.
In my later years I love the large butter beans better.
I cook mine in a crockpot by starting out on high heat until ready to boil then turn it down to low to finish cooking. They do turn out nice this way.
I have even used chopped up Polish Kielbasa sausage links, They are nice this way too.
Enjoy butter beans, they are so healthy for you.
Thanks for sharing how to make these in a slow cooker. I will have to try that next time. The kielbasa addition sounds tasty too.
how would you use the ham bones? just replace the salt pork? right from the start?
Yes, just use a ham bone instead of the salt pork from the start.
@Renee, I cook chicken thighs and when the beans are ready I add the pulled chicken in the beans. Alittle cheese on top.
I just cooked butterbeans for the first time using your southern style recipe. I don't know what I did wrong but some (about 20%) of the beans were still a little hard while the rest of them were a perfect softness. I cooked the beans for about an hour and a half. Had I gone much longer I think the beans that were done would have been mush. what did I do wrong?
I'm not sure why some of your beans were still a little hard. I have not had that happen in all the times I've made them. Sorry you had that happen. Perhaps stir them a few more times during the cooking process.
Thanks, Ken! I'm getting out my slow cooker now. I'll try the kielbasa as well; there's a vegan sausage of which I am I'm very fond of which is seasoned like the meat sausage. Long live butter beans! 🙂
I am going to soak my beans tonight and cook them in the crockpot tomorrow. I cook pinto beans all the time on low all day while I'm at work and they turn out perfect every time.
I always soak the beans to get rid of the oligosaccharines (sp?) that cause gas.
I definitely need to try cooking the beans in a crockpot. Thanks Kathleen.
How much bacon should you use instead of the ham when making the butter or large Lina beans? Also my grandma. When serving the. Beans, you put vinegar. Over it! Thank you Linda
I would suggest using 4 to 6 strips of bacon. And sometimes I sprinkle pepper sauce on my butter beans (which is vinegar-y).
Serve with a dollop of butter! Yum and if course cornbread and a green onion
crazy question, but do you cook the salt pork first or does it come pre-cooked?
That is not a crazy question. You do not cook the salt pork first. It is not pre-cooked though. It just adds flavor and a little extra fat to the dish.
Renee: Are you using a dry bean or frozen? If you are using a dry bean like the ones in the 1 pound bags are you soaking them prior to cooking them? thanks
I am using dried beans and not soaking them prior to cooking.
Thank you.
Rene I just posted a quick soak method below that works like a champ!
The old timers used to soak them all night, then cook them all day for a meal you eat in 30 minutes, but no longer!
I use a pressure Cooker now, and I presoak mine in the microwave for 15 minutes, then cook the in my PC for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on which PC I use, and I.m ready to eat.
Actually, I dont even have to presoak with my PC, just add an extra 10 minutes, and all is well, but i got in the habit of presoaking so I still do it, anyway.
My recipe can be found on my website buddysimmons.com then just click on butterbean recipe.
I have both the stove top and the Pressure Cooker recipe there.
My website is not a cooking site. It is a site for comedy, nostalgia.
I am an author and I just want to display my work in an environment where people can have a decent laugh without all the smut you see these days.
Nothing is for sale. It used to be. but I took my books off the market and displayed them for free on Facebook because I felt condemned over making money from a God given talent.
Thanks Buddy and as I replied to your other comment - note my recipe does not call for presoaking beans. I'll be sure to check out your recipes as I am always looking for different methods and versions.
I cut up link, smoked sausage. It seasons it nicely and it makes a great meal in a bowl!
HOW TO BYPASS PRESOAK PHASE:
You can bypass the soaking phase by first sorting and washing 1 pound dried Butter Beans.
Place 1 pound dried lg. Lima Beans (Butter Beans) into a LARGE bowl with at least 6 cups of water, then place in Microwave.
Micro-wave on high for about 15-20 minutes. This softens the beans and takes a lot of time off the cooking time. it also cause more evenly cooked beans. The old timers ALWAYS soaked their beans to make them cook more evenly and cook quicker!
I also season with 2 tablespoons real butter (That's why the old timers called them Butter Beans.)
****NEVER use salt until beans are cooked and removed from heat because using salt during cooking cooking will toughen beans!
Hey Buddy - thanks for your tip on bypassing the presoak phase except note that my recipe does not call for presoaking beans.
Thanks for the recipe. My Grandparents would crumble their cornbread on their plate then top with Butter Beans and a dab or dollop of Mayo. With or without any type of ham it's good eating!
Is there a way to do this in a crock pot?
I have not attempted to make them in a crockpot so I do not know how they would turn out. Sorry.
I cook my soup in a crockpot and it turns out perfect every time.
I do not presoak the beans.
I put the beans in a pot of water and allow them to boil for two minutes.
After two minutes of boiling I dump them in a strainer then transfer them into the crockpot.
I add one to two ham hocks, and I buy a small ham that I add in the soup (my family loves having chunks of ham in their butterbean soup)
I add one stick of salted butter and one stick of unsalted butter
I fill my crockpot with enough water making sure the beans are covered
Cooking on low setting for 7 to 8 hours
Salt and pepper to taste.
Love these! I use them often because they cook up quicker than any other dried bean. I sort, wash, bring to quick 10 minute boil. Remove from heat, cover, let set for 1-2 hours. Bring to a steady simmer for another hour to 1 &1/2 hour. Season with plenty of salt, Italian spices and cayenne or hot sauce. I do not add meat. I add a little olive oil when I start the simmer. When cooking the frozen green Lima beans, try adding butter and dill for a change. Delicious! New to your site- this NC girl loves dried beans and cornbread!
I absolutely adore this recipe. I am from the UK but my sister-in -law in Florida taught me to put a knob of butter on top of the beans at the start of cooking so that the water cannot evaporate as fast- it saves topping up as often, although it is still best to check every 30 minutes or so to start with. I cook them for about three hours until the beans go 'soupy'. Love these beans with buttermilk cornbread and cut green beans.
I also add a bit of brown sugar to mine
If you do use bacon strips, should they be cooked first? Or should i put raw bacon at the bottom of the pot and put the beans on top of the raw bacon?
You would put the raw bacon in the bottom of the pot.
When you say salt pork is that fat back?
Salt pork is cured and dried and has a more concentrated flavor. Fatback can be used to make salt port, but it isn't salt pork unless it's been cured and dried with salt. If you can't find it, bacon or a ham hock can be an acceptable substitute.
Love butter bean but why didn’t you add the butter that’s why it called butter beans and not Lima bean oh p.s. I use ham chucks & onions delicious thanks for sharing !
Lynn you are so right. Add at least one half to a whole stick of butter to those beans and let the creaminess of the butter add to the flavor. My grandmother and her sister both cooked butter beans with butter and added a little bit of condensed milk to help thicken up the sauce.
They are called butter beans due to the yellowish color and creamy texture developed upon cooking a pot of large mature dried lima beans. It really has nothing to do with adding actual dairy butter to the beans.
@Jay Dubya,
Thank you for clearing that up.
Hi can you use small dried lima beans? Or do they need to be the large ones? And also do you need to soak them over night like the bag says? I want to try this tomorrow night. It sounds so good. As soon as I seen butterbeans, it sent me right back to my grandma's table when I was young!!
For this recipe, they should be the large ones. You don't need to soak them. Just keep on cooking them until they're soft. Hope you like them!
I’m so excited to try theses, but feel so intimidated with the stirring part lol...I hope I can also find Salt Pork..I’m on Long Island, but Southern at heart, and these look insanely delicious!!!
Salt pork is everywhere but if you can't find any use a slice of ham steak or even virginia smoked ham or ham skin. And its ok to stir, make sure bottom doesn't stick. Cook on low.
Yes, Butter Beans. My Brother and I put these creamy beans on top of cornbread, then add ketchup. Delicious! Sister-in-law would just shake her head in disbelief at us. Lol.
Everybody's got their own way of preparing and enjoying butter beans. 🙂
Your recipe is absolutely right. I've been cooking these for years. The thing I do different is to use 2 smoked hamhocks or ham bone and 1/4 chopped onion.
I have never ever soaked, parboiled, or anything to my beans before cooking. I do put a tablespoon sugar. But its not necessary. Its also not necessary to preboil the hamhocks or brown the salt pork. You can just put it in when you do your beans and water. Mine always cook off the bone and come out creamy and yet whole beans. I usually make parbouled or basmati rice to add the beans to in the bowls. Basically this is the same way I cook all my dried beans from navy or northern beans, any kind of white bean.
You can also use half large limas and half great northern or navy beans, both dried. Delicious together.
You can also get a can or too of canelli beans or white beans to put in with your homemade limas,. This is a handy trick if your limas ever cook and break up and you need a little texture. Also if your broth is too thin when done, just dip a cup up and mash them up. This will act as a thickener.
You would probably like 15 bean soup too. If you ever make it, do everthing the same, just throw in some chopped celery, onion, carrots in the beginning too. No need to soften.
Tip of knowledge: dried beans do better and thicken easier when using water and throwing everything in fresh. If one sautees the veggies or meats first, it can get too oily to thicken. Enjoy.
I grew up with creamy beans just like this, though we use baby limas. A slow simmer works just as well for them. Sweet cornbread (the original recipe off the Aunt Jemima cornbread package) and beans creates the perfect dinner anytime..
I have used smoked ham hocks in place of the salt pork. I've used a frozen pork chop as well. Adjust the salt at the end, I add black pepper, and the silky sauce and beans is a perfect, inexpensive, satisfying, low calorie dinner. All those superlatives in one dish!
Use ham bone. Throw in a stick of butter and any chunks of left over ham, just before serving. Serve with jiffy cornbread with side of sliced tomatoes and onions. Does not get any better.
It’s really awesome! This will quickly become a favorite in our house!
Thanks for a no nonsense, good old fashioned recipe. Refreshing in today's world where everyone seems to think the basics MUST be embellished.
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I was just looking for how to do it at home!
I add a little garlic salt halfway through cooking time. Then serve over bread. And bingo, you have what I call a butter bean sandwich
Yum !!! Great recipe. Anybody else add Tabasco to the beans before serving. We eat ours with Tabasco and Hoe Cake
my mother baked many loaves of home made bread and we would bread up two or three slices on our plate and then cover with cooked lima beans. A whole meal. Some times we would mash a little with a potato masher while they were still in the pot,,,,,,,,,So Good!
My mama has always fed us butter beans with smoked sausage as a meal. Even serving them up with warm homemade tortillas!! Today will be my first attempt at making them. Thank you for the recipe.
That sounds so delicious!
Mom always cooked them low and slow, added salt and lots of butter to melt into beans at the end. We always ate them over butterrd bread and sometimes added fresh diced onion on top of beans. Great eating. And we are not southern just good home cooking.
Saving this for later - I have an unopened can of butterbeans in my cupboard that I didn't know what to do with, but now I do! This looks delicious.
Made this yesterday. Soul food perfection
Fried potatoes with onions go wonderfully with butter beans.
My family uses both streak of lean and far back. Streak of lean has a strip of meat through it, like bacon. Salted pork/fat back is pure fat with skin.
Do you have to soak them (overnight or quick soak)?
You don't have to. But if you decide you want to soak them, keep in mind that they will cook faster.
I just cooked a pot of butter beans with a ham bone, so amazing. I am surprised no one recommends letting the beans sit overnight in water or lettting them come to a boil and then turning off the heat and letting them sit for an hour, definitely speeds up the cooking process. Also, If I added too much water, I take a cup of beans and blend them in a food processor and add it back to the pot, (or some folks just smash the beans up on the side of the pot with a wooden spoon). One more tip, we LOVE these cooked with 1/2 lb sliced Conecuh sausage made in Conecuh, AL.
Don't you dare discard the salt pork, it is delicious. I don't have a "clogged artery" problem. My mother who passed away at 98 and myself eat it and have no problems.
My granny from Alabama made butter bean dumplings. She cooked the beans until tender and creamy, then rolling out a can of biscuits ( not the flaky ones ) she then cut them in strips and slowly added them to the beans. Cooked until the dumplings were done. These were my favorite meal she made.
We love butter beans here in Alabama. I cook mine in chicken stock with a tablespoon of Crisco, tablespoon of bacon grease, garlic powder & onion powder. After about an hour & 1/2, I add salt and then right before they are done, I add a stick of butter. I serve it w/ cornbread, rice and Mac n cheese. My family loves this meal, including the little one. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us. I’m always looking for new dishes to add to the weekly menu.
M grandma grew speckled butterbeans in her garden. She made hot water cornbread to go with the beans. I can still see her working the garden in her sunbonnet.
Native Texan
Thank you for posting your recipe and your subsequent tips and advice. Greatly appreciated!
Exactly like my mom’s! Some hot water cornbread and Tomato slices on side and it’s a meal! Mmmm mmmm mmmm❣️
For the life of me I can’t make up my mind whether my Grandmother added onion and garlic to hers; yours is the only one that used neither; I’m thinking that New Orleans style does, and Southern style kept them super simple, thoughts?
I wouldn't be surprised if New Orleans style had the onions and garlic in it. I think the simple style of beans is pretty common as a basic Southern recipe.
Renee thanks for sharing this recipe. My mom and grandma cooked them when I was growing up. But I never knew how. So I have been cooking them all wrong for 40 some odd years.
Making these tomorrow they look amazing definitely corn bread too
Been looking for a recipe like this for quite a while, so glad I came across this. I'm just getting into cooking - sort of, I have my specialties, but I had the luxury of a fabulous cook, but circumstances require I step up and take over.
So, here's my question. - how long can the beans soak and not turn to complete mush when I cook them. I'm trying to balance cooking time and work. If they soak for 8 -10 hours is that too much? Would I then cut back on cooking time.
It's creaminess that I'm looking for, - butter beans over rice topped with Vidalia onion and some pepper sauce.
dang, now I've made myself hungry.
Up to 12 hours is supposedly fine, from what I've read. I think I usually did overnight, like 8 hours or so, and it was fine.
I cook mine with dried pork sausage, and that is really good.
Exactly how we donut in Alabama - if we don’t have salt pork a big ole ham bone will work. With cornbread, it’s a meal.
My family when I was growing up had beans at least once a week. Butter Beans were served as a side frequently. When I married my husband “needed” meat with his meals so I bought packaged cubed or sliced or left over ham and added to the beans. An onion chopped the ham and butter for the Butter Beans was a meal. Especially with corn bread from scratch.
Pinto beans I made the same no butter but added a small can of green chilis the ones that are not hot. So good. Thank you all for a glimpse back to mom cooking and all the wonderful ways to make butter beans.