Servings: 10 people
Calories: 448kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry lima beans
- 3 medium Smoked Turkey Legs or any other smoked meat protein
- ½ tablespoons Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Stick Butter
- Water enough to cover the beans by ½ inch
Instructions
- Soak the lima beans overnight or use quick method by bring beans to a boil in a pot of water and then allow to sit off-heat in the water for an hour.
- Brown the smoked turkey legs in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add water, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Place the beans, bay leaves, salt and pepper into the pot and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Beans should be tender, but not mushy.
- Drain the beans keeping the wet beans in the pot.
- While the beans are cooking prepare the butter. Chop the meat off the remaining turkey leg. Melt a stick of butter in a skillet then add the chunks of smoked turkey to the skillet and cook on a low simmer.
- Remove the chunks of turkey then pour the smoke-infused butter into the pot of beans. Mix well stirring heavily. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and about a teaspoon of cider vinegar.
- Serve with green onions and/or pickled red onions.
Video
Notes
For even more flavor in the smoked butter, add garlic cloves and fresh thyme leaves during cooking.
Lima beans are also called butter beans depending on where you're from and where you buy them. Just be sure to buy the larger cream-colored ones. Avoid the green smaller "baby" lima beans. The larger the surface area the more smoked butter.
Fill the pot with enough water to cover the beans by at least a quarter inch.
I like using smoked turkey legs - fewer bones and easy to carve. But if you don't have them available to you any smoked meat will do. Turkey parts like wings and tails are great alternatives. Smoked pork like neckbones or ham hocks.
Time is key to this dish. Allow the beans to simmer slowly. If you have time make a broth first with just the smoked turkey and the seasonings and then add the beans after the flavors have come together. Similarly, with the butter, allow it to simmer slowly with the remaining smoked meat.
Don't overcook the butter beans. You want them cooked fully, but don't cook to the point of the beans disintegrating or breaking down. You want the whole, fully intact for the smoked butter sauce saute step.
Serve these Southern lima beans with other Southern-based recipes like collard greens, braised turnips, hot water cornbread, and fried chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 1347mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 7mg
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