Southern Butter Beans with Ham Hock

Butter beans — large, creamy lima beans — are a pillar of Southern Lowcountry and Appalachian cooking. Simmered low and slow with a smoked ham hock, they absorb a deep pork-smoke flavour and develop a silky, almost buttery broth that is as satisfying as any stew. Served with cornbread, this is a complete Southern supper.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 450g (1 lb) dried large lima beans (butter beans), soaked overnight
• 1 large smoked ham hock (about 700g / 1.5 lb)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken or pork broth
• 500ml (2 cups) water
• 1 tsp (5g) dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp (2g) smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp (1g) cayenne pepper
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• Cornbread and hot sauce, to serve

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place in a slow cooker.
2. Add ham hock, onion, garlic, celery, broth, water, thyme, smoked paprika and cayenne. Stir to combine. Do not add salt yet.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until beans are completely tender and creamy.
4. Remove ham hock. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone in chunks and return it to the pot. Discard bone and skin.
5. Using a ladle, mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth naturally.
6. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Cook on HIGH uncovered for 20 minutes to concentrate the broth.
7. Serve in bowls with a wedge of cornbread and hot sauce.

Cook's Notes: Never salt dried beans before they are fully cooked — it prevents softening. The slow cooker is ideal here; the gentle, even heat produces the creamiest results. Leftovers improve significantly the next day.