How to make butter beans taste good?
- Make a savory side dish for pork chops or chicken by sauteing the beans with chopped onion, minced garlic and red pepper flakes. ...
- Mash the beans with cloves of roasted garlic and olive oil.
- Blend the beans with tahini, sesame paste, olive oil and lemon juice for a white bean hummus.
Are dry beans worth it?
These are why I will keep choosing dry beans over canned. Beans are a cheap source of slow burning carbohydrates, fiber, protein and minerals that will keep you feeling full. In that respect, beans in general (whether canned or dry) are a good way to save money on groceries. Canned goods almost always contain BPA.
How do you cook fresh butter beans?
Instructions
- Place butterbeans in a large saucepan. Fill pan with enough water to cover the butterbeans by about an inch.
- Add bacon, sugar, garlic powder, butter, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn down to a simmer and cook 45 minutes or until very tender.
- Taste and add additional salt and/or sugar if needed. Serve warm.
How to cook butter beans in a crock pot?
Instructions
- Place beans in your slow cooker.
- Add ham hocks and onion.
- Add broth and any water needed to bring the waterline 2 inches above the beans.
- Stir in seasonings.
- Cook on HIGH for 2 hours then turn to LOW for 4 more hours or until the beans are tender.
How do you dry butter beans?
One method of drying out-of-doors is vine drying. To dry beans (navy, kidney, butter, great northern, lima, lentils and soybeans) leave bean pods on the vine in the garden until the beans inside rattle. When the vines and pods are dry and shriveled, pick the beans and shell them. No pretreatment is necessary.
What are dry butter beans called?
Butter beans, lima beans, dried lima beans, large limas, pocketbook beans, mule ears, the list goes on and on. These delicious dried beans go by a host of different names. The truth is, they're lima beans. Whether they're green, speckled, white, cream colored, dried or fresh – they're all varieties of lima beans.
How do you make butter beans?
Baby Lima Beans (Butterbeans) Put 2 cups water and the salt in a medium saucepan and add the beans. Cook the beans until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the liquid and add the butter. Sprinkle lightly with the black pepper before serving.
Do you have to boil dried butter beans?
Dried butter beans should be soaked overnight before cooking and then boiled for at least 10 minutes at the start of the cooking time. Never cook beans in a slow cooker unless pre-soaked for a minimum of 12 hours and boiled for 10 minutes.
Do they sell dry butter beans?
You'll find dried butter beans, often labeled as lima beans, in the pantry aisle of most grocery stores and supermarkets. They're also available precooked in cans in the canned goods aisle. Baby or mature lima beans are also available frozen in the freezer aisle.
Are dried butter beans better than canned?
Are dried beans better for you than canned beans? The short answer is yes: Dried beans are more nutritionally dense, with more protein, fiber, iron, potassium and magnesium, and less sodium than canned beans.
Are dried butter beans good for you?
They're packed full of nutrients Butter beans are rich in vitamins and minerals, which are important for overall health. A source of potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc, they also contain calcium and protein. Both plant-based foodies and meat-lovers can really benefit from adding butter beans to their diet.
Why do you soak butter beans?
Soaking the beans to rehydrate them prepares them for cooking and helps mitigate their gas-causing effects. There are two methods of soaking beans -- a slow way and a quick way.
Is there a difference between butter beans and lima beans?
Let the age-old debate of butter beans vs. lima beans come to an end: The two are simply different names for the same legume.
Do you remove skin from butter beans?
Butter beans, also known as lima beans, cook up to a creamy textured, rich-tasting bean and is common in Southern cuisine. While some farmers' markets or grocery stores may sell the beans already shelled, butter beans come in pods that need to be removed prior to cooking.
Do you have to soak dried butter beans?
To prepare your batch of butter beans I find that cooking them from dry (ie without pre-soaking) helps prevent them from going soggy, so just tip them into the pot, add plenty of water to cover, a teaspoon of salt and cook until tender. This should take between six and eight hours.
How should you prepare dry beans?
Beans can be cooked by using the stovetop or a multicooker/pressure cooker. Place beans in a large pot; cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety.
Is there another name for butter beans?
Let the age-old debate of butter beans vs. lima beans come to an end: The two are simply different names for the same legume.
What are butter beans known as?
A lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), also commonly known as the butter bean, sieva bean, double bean, Madagascar bean, or wax bean is a legume grown for its edible seeds or beans.
What are the different types of butter beans?
13 of the Best Lima and Butter Beans to Grow at HomeBaby Fordhook.Big Mama.Burpee Improved.Christmas.Dixie Speckled Butterpea.Early Thorogreen.Florida Speckled.Fordhook 242.More items...•
Are dried lima beans the same as butter beans?
“What's a good explanation,” the user asked, “for the difference between lima beans and butter beans?” They're two names for the same kind of bean! They can be used interchangeably whether frozen, dried, or canned.
Recipe Ingredients
Let the beans cook until they are tender. You can add more salt here, but this is optional. I love the gravy this turns into.
FAQs
Yes, this butter beans recipe will last in the fridge for up to five days, so you couldn’t definitely make it in advance.
Southern Butter Beans Recipe
This Southern butter beans recipe combines tender and creamy beans with smoky ham for the most flavorful comfort meal.
What are butter beans?
We get asked that question a lot in the South: What are butter beans? Butter beans are one of those distinctly Southern vegetables that seems to have different names and different varieties everywhere you go.
Butter beans recipe
Like most Southern recipes, there are as many ways to cook butter beans as there are streets named Peachtree in Atlanta. However, a common denominator for most beans and greens is the addition of pork for flavor.
Secret Ingredient
Sugar is the magic ingredient! Granny would add a little sugar to the water, not enough to make the butter beans too sweet, but enough to taste and add just a little more flavor to what could otherwise be a pretty bland bean.
How to cook butter beans
Start by adding water, salt, pepper, bacon, butter, sugar, and garlic powder to a large saucepan. I use Kirkland brand cookware from Costco, but this pot by Cuisinart would work well, as would this one from Calphalon.
Serving suggestions
This butter bean recipe is delicious with chicken, pot roast, meatloaf or even as a portion of a vegetable plate with sliced tomatoes and fried okra.
More tips
Use fresh butter beans if they are in season. If not, frozen will work just fine.
Butter Beans Recipe
Butter beans cooked the old-fashioned way with bacon and just a little sugar.
Dried Butter Beans
Dried butter beans require soaking before they can be cooked. Soak the beans in cool water for a minimum of five hours and as long as eight hours or overnight. Ensure that the beans are fully submerged. The longer they soak, the softer and creamier they'll be.
Fresh and Frozen Butter Beans
Fresh or frozen butter beans do not require soaking before cooking. Fresh beans only need to be rinsed to remove debris and cooked as is. Defrost frozen beans before cooking. Both fresh or frozen butter beans still require fairly long cooking times -- as long as an hour on the stove.
Stove-Cooked Beans
Soaked and fresh beans require simmering for about 60 minutes on the stovetop and need a lot of liquid to develop their soft, creamy texture. Use a 1-to-3 ratio of beans to liquid, such as stock or water. Add dried spices, chopped aromatics, and fats or pieces of seasoning meat, such as bacon or salt pork, at the beginning of the cooking process.
Slow-Cooker Beans
A slow-cooker cooks beans at a controlled temperature and requires very little attention. Use plenty of liquid -- at least a 3-to-1 ratio of liquid to beans -- and avoid adding acids until the end of the cooking period.
Pressure-Cooked Beans
Pressure-cookers use high temperatures to quickly soften and cook beans. Because too high of a temperature can lead to mush, pay close attention to pressure settings and cooking times. Add seasonings, including salts and cured meats, at the beginning and acids after the beans are fully cooked.
Canned Butter Beans
Canned butter beans are ready to eat and do not require further cooking, although many people at least heat up the beans before consuming them. Drain butter beans into a colander and rinse them under cool water to remove the canning liquid, and use the canned beans as you would cooked beans.
HOW TO MAKE
They’re about as easy to cook as any other bean. Sort, rinse, soak (or not), and cook.
Soaking Beans
There is no need to soak your beans prior to starting this recipe, instead, it uses a quick 30-minute soak.
ADDING MEAT
If you want to use bacon simply cook 4 or 5 thick slices of bacon and set aside. Replace some of the butter in the recipe with the bacon grease. Add the cooked bacon to the cooked beans about 15 minutes before serving.
Adding Butter
Butter is not necessary to make this recipe, but it sure does add some serious flavor.
Storing Leftovers
Cooked beans should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Thawed beans can be heated in the microwave or on the stovetop. It may seem thick when first coming out of the refrigerator. Don’t add water just yet. Heat it up a bit before deciding if it needs more water.
Classic Butter Beans
Tender and creamy old fashioned butter beans are a classic Southern comfort dish served as the main attraction or side dish. Beans from scratch starting with large lima beans.
Buying, Cooking, and Recipes
Alexandra has been gardening indoors and outdoors for 10 years and writing professionally for 5 years. She worked at Greensgrow, a plant nursery and urban farm, for two years and spent seven years working directly with local farmers in region.
What Are Butter Beans?
Butter beans are large, creamy beans that are filling and nutritious. These legumes originate in South America and are used in a wide variety of dishes. They're available fresh during the late-summer growing season or as fresh-frozen or dried beans year-round.
How to Use Butter Beans
Dried butter beans are a dependable pantry staple that can be used in soups, stews, braises, casseroles, dips, spreads, and salads, just to name a few applications. They can also be cooked on their own and served with a simple dressing of butter, salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
What Do They Taste Like?
Butter beans have a smooth, creamy texture and mild, buttery flavor. They hold sauces and soak up the flavors they're cooked with well. Fresh butter beans will have a slightly grassy, more vegetal flavor than cooked, dried beans.
Where to Buy Butter Beans
You'll find dried butter beans, often labeled as lima beans, in the pantry aisle of most grocery stores and supermarkets. They're also available precooked in cans in the canned goods aisle. Baby or mature lima beans are also available frozen in the freezer aisle.
Butter Beans vs. Lima Beans
While they're all the same bean botanically, butter beans have different names depending on the region. In the South and in the United Kingdom, they're typically referred to as butter beans. Elsewhere in the U.S., they're known as lima beans (named for Lima, Peru, the bean's point of origin).
Storage
Store dried butter beans in an airtight, food-safe container and keep them in a cool, dry place. Use them within one year of purchase. Beyond that point, dry beans lose moisture and may take longer to cook.
Community Q&A
Do I need to blanch before drying them in the oven? I put mine straight in the oven after podding.
Tips
Nylon netting is recommended as a choice for protective covering because it is easy to clean.
Warnings
Do not keep beans out in full sun all day if drying them outdoors. It could cause them to "case-harden," or form a crust on the outside and prevent the inside from drying properly.
About This Article
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