I have been devouring Chef Vivian Howard’s book, Deep Run Roots. Every recipe in the book sounds so great that I just cannot slow down. These slow-cooked Lima beans are an excellent example not only of the great flavors Chef Howard conjures, but also the simplicity of the recipes. Lightly smoky tender beans. That’s it. Nothing fancy, but mighty good, specially on a cold day.
Cook Them Longer. Or Don’t.
Depending on how you like your beans, you may want to cook your slow-cooked Lima beans a little longer or a little less. I like mine pretty tender, bordering on falling apart. Some folk like a little more ‘bite’ to theirs so they don’t cook them quite as much.
For extra smokiness (and a bit more seasoning meat) I used a smoked pork shank instead of the usual hock. I prefer shanks because I think they add more flavor than does a ham hock.
Oh, did I mention that these beans are perfect over a big piece of cornbread? Just like my creamy butter beans are.
Slow-Cooked Lima Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried lima beans
- 1 onion peeled, halved
- 10 ounce smoked ham hock or shank
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F.
- Place all ingredients into a large Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Transfer to the oven and cook 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until the beans are tender. Check the water level every 30 minutes and add water if needed.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
