Butter Beans

also called lima beans · baby limas · large limas · butterbeans · speckled butter beans

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Butter Beans: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
Cook these until a few of them break up and thicken the pot. The liquid goes creamy with no cream in it.
3 oz(85 g; diced)salt porkrender 8 minsweat 6 minsimmer covered 1 hr 10 minbutter and salt at the end
1 medium(diced)yellow onion
1 lb(450 g; soaked overnight)dried lima beans
2 qt(1.9 L)ham hock stock
1bay leaf
1 tspblack pepper
3 Tbs(42 g)unsalted butter
2 tspkosher salt
Mash a ladleful against the side of the pot and stir it back in if the liquid is still thin
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.10 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2render 8 min

3sweat 6 min

goes in with what step 2 made

4simmer covered 1 hr 10 min

goes in with what step 3 made

5butter and salt at the end

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 24 min1 of 4 steps gives no time
Needs you
about 14 min
If you get it wrong
Unforgiving — butter beans that stay whole and separate are undercooked; a few have to break up and thicken the pot before it is done
What you'll wash
One thing — the Dutch oven
Does it keep
4 days — they turn creamier as they sit, and the liquor sets to a light gel you stir back in warm
  1. render 8 min

    8 minneeds you(we think)from the start

  2. sweat 6 min

    6 minneeds you(we think)8 min in

  3. simmer covered 1 hr 10 min

    1 hr 10 minwalk away14 min in

  4. butter and salt at the end

    not timed1 hr 24 min in

You'll need Dutch oven

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Butter Beans
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: beans, pork, southern, stew, side
>> counters: Meat and Three, One Pot
>> aka: lima beans, baby limas, large limas, butterbeans, speckled butter beans
>> servings: 8
>> time: 1 hr 40 min
>> slack: unforgiving — butter beans that stay whole and separate are undercooked; a few have to break up and thicken the pot before it is done
>> pairs-with: ham-hock-stock, skillet-cornbread, oxtails, collard-greens
>> washing-up: the Dutch oven
>> keeps: 4 days — they turn creamier as they sit, and the liquor sets to a light gel you stir back in warm

>> step: Cook these until a few of them break up and thicken the pot. The liquid goes creamy with no cream in it.
Cook these until a few of them break up and thicken the pot.

>> step: render 8 min
Render @salt pork{3%oz}(85 g; diced) in a #Dutch oven{} for ~render{8%min}.

>> step: sweat 6 min
Sweat @&(~1)salt pork{} with @yellow onion{1%medium}(diced) for ~sweat{6%min}.

>> step: simmer covered 1 hr 10 min
Simmer @&(~1)pork base{} covered with @dried lima beans{1%lb}(450 g; soaked overnight), @ham hock stock{2%qt}(1.9 L), @bay leaf{1}, @black pepper{1%tsp} for ~simmer{70%min}.

>> step: butter and salt at the end
Stir @&(~1)beans{} with @unsalted butter{3%Tbs}(42 g), @kosher salt{2%tsp}.

Mash a ladleful against the side of the pot and stir it back in if the liquid is still thin.