Southern butter beans are the sort of thing that can complete a simple dinner. When cooked right the beans are tender and creamy with a delicious broth that is especially good with a piece of warm cornbread. When a bowl of beans can provide that much comfort, you don’t need a fancy main.
Good butter beans recipe is not complicated ingredients, it’s about texture and seasoning. Some Southern style versions use smoked gammon hocks or bacon, but others rely on onions, broth and simple seasonings. Whatever way you do it, keep the focus on the beans themselves.
Most importantly, not all butter beans are marketed in the same shape. If you want creamy beans and not mushy, it makes a difference which beans you use. Beans fresh, frozen, dried, and canned all behave differently.
What Are Butter Beans?
Butter beans are a mild-flavored, creamy-textured type of lima bean. The name is generally used for larger, mature lima beans, particularly in Southern cooking.
When cooked right they are soft inside and take savoury seasonings very well. They have a taste of their own, but they are mild enough in flavour to complement smoked meat, garlic, onions and broth.
Butter beans are a popular side dish but can be easily included in a larger meal. A big bowl of cornbread and greens is enough to fill you up, without having to add several other dishes.
One reason they’ve stayed so popular in Southern home cooking is their versatility.
What Are Lima Beans and Butter Beans?
Butter beans and lima beans are the same species, Phaseolus lunatus. The difference is mainly in regional names and the way the beans are marketed.
In some regions the smaller green beans are called lima beans and the larger pale coloured mature beans are marketed as butter beans. Elsewhere the names are used interchangeably.
In the kitchen, the biggest difference is the shape of the bean. A frozen young lima bean is not a dried mature butter bean so it has to be handled differently.
Final texture can also be affected by size and maturity. The bigger beans tend to have an especially creamy interior whereas the smaller varieties can have a firmer bite.
How to Make Southern Style Best Butter Beans
It is dependent on whether you are using dried beans, fresh beans, frozen beans, or canned beans. Each form has a different moisture content and requires different preparation.
Dried butter beans require time and cooking to become fully tender. Two bags of dried beans might not behave the same way, because the age of the beans can affect how fast they soften.
Frozen butter beans are easier to prepare and more convenient for everyday meals. Canned beans are pre-cooked and good for recipes that don’t require long cooking but just a quick heating.
Southern style butter beans: the liquid in which they are cooked is an important part of the dish. It holds the seasoning, and can take on a creamy texture that makes the beans particularly comforting.
The idea is tender beans in a flavourful broth, not mush beans.
Tips for Making the Best Southern Butter Beans
One of the easiest ways to mess up the texture is to overcook the beans. Rough boiling will split the skins and break the beans apart before the whole pot is of the right tenderness.
Also important is moisture balance. Too little liquid results in uneven cooking, while too much can give your finished dish a watery consistency.
Beans’ natural starch can help create a creamy broth. That doesn’t mean you have to mash every bean or otherwise break it up, and often a combination of tender whole beans and a slightly thickened liquid is more appealing.
Seasoning is a little love, especially when you are cooking with smoked meat. Gammon hocks and other cured meats add salt and flavour, so the broth can get saltier as it cooks.
And finally, know that the beans will thicken the liquid as they cool. A pot that feels a little loose when hot will harden up a little when it cools.
What Meat Goes With Southern Butter Beans?
Smoked gammon hocks are used in traditional southern butter bean recipes. They add a smoky, savoury flavour that complements the mild beans.
Another choice is bacon — especially if you want a definite smoky flavour. But it does matter, its salt content, because it can affect the balance of the whole dish.
A smoked turkey would be a similar savoury path without pork. It doesn’t taste quite like gammon, but it can make a good substitute in recipes made for it.
Butter beans do not HAVE TO HAVE meat at all. “A perfectly satisfying meat-free version can be made with a good vegetable broth and the right aromatics, especially if the beans are tender and creamy on their own.”
Can You Slow Cook Butter Beans?
Some butter bean recipes are easy to make in a slow cooker, but dried beans require special care. Raw or undercooked lima beans are high in cyanogenic compounds and must be cooked properly to reduce risk.
Not all slow cookers cook dried beans the same way. They should not be assumed to supersede the thorough boiling required by proper dried-bean safety guidance.
Frozen or properly precooked beans may be just fine in slow cooker recipes that are built around beans. The key is whether the beans were cooked safely before.
If using dried butter beans, use a tested method of preparation and cooking, not an untested slow cooker shortcut.
What Goes Well With Southern Butter Beans
Cornbread’s crumbly texture makes it a natural pairing with the creamy bean broth. Another common pairing in Southern cooking.
Pair with collards or turnip greens for a bitter savoury counterpoint. It balances the richness of the butter beans with smoked meat.
Serve the beans as a hearty side dish at dinner with roasted chicken, baked gammon or grilled meats.
Serve with rice and a simple tomato salad for a lighter meal. The rice gives the dish body and the tomatoes give a little acidity and freshness.
How to Store Leftover Southern Butter Beans
Put cooked butter beans into a covered container and refrigerate them right away. If leftovers are stored in the refrigerator, it’s best to use them up within three to four days.
The beans can take up moisture in storage, and this can make for a thicker broth. That’s normal, it may change texture when reheated though.
Butter beans can also be frozen, preferably in suitable containers with some of the cooking liquid. The defrosted beans will probably be softer.
Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Butter Beans
Are butter beans and lima beans the same?
“Yes.” They are names for the same species, but the names may refer to different sizes or stages of maturity depending on the area. When cooking, it’s more helpful to know if your beans are fresh, frozen, dried or canned.
Why are my butter beans still chewy?
Age of the dried beans can also impact how long it takes for your beans to cook down. Hard beans just need a little longer to cook down. Sometimes very old beans are very stubborn. Serve them when they are cooked all the way through, but don’t count on a long cooking time to tenderise them.
How do you cook butter beans without ham?
Yeah. Butter beans in good seasoned broth can be satisfying without meat. It won’t have the smoky flavour of a ham-based version, but onions, garlic, herbs, and a good broth can add plenty of savoury depth.
May I use canned butter beans?
Canned butter beans are already cooked so they can be easier for a quick dish. They don’t cook in the same time as dried beans and can fall apart with prolonged simmering. A recipe written for canned beans is going to be more consistent.
More Easy Southern Side Dish Recipes
If you like Southern butter beans, then collard greens and black eyed peas are similar. They have different textures but are naturally in the same style of comfort food.
Southern green beans and skillet cornbread are good as well. Together these dishes make a satisfying dinner based on familiar ingredients and straightforward flavours.
Conclusion
Southern butter beans are a reminder that simple cooking can be very satisfying, if you get the seasoning and texture right. Tender beans and a rich, creamy broth need little embellishment.
Serve with cornbread and your favourite southern sides and let the beans be the star of the show.
Southern Butter Beans
Ingredients
Method
- If using dried butter beans, soak them in water overnight to rehydrate.
- In a large pot, combine the soaked beans, broth or water, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Add the smoked gammon hock or bacon if using.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered for about 60 minutes or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Once the beans are cooked, remove the gammon hock or bacon, shred any meat if desired, and return it to the pot.
