Southern Speckled Butter Beans
Recipe by: Bobbi Jo Lathan
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Serves: 4
PREP TIME
10 mins
COOK TIME
45-50 mins
TOTAL TIME
1 hour
INGREDIENTS
1 bag (1 lb. bag) dried speckled butter beans
(I order some online at www.southerntradtionalfoods.com. You’ll
LUV ‘em!)
1 smoked ham hock
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons Uncle Henry’s Hot Sauce (see recipe in my An American Gal Cookbook) or white vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
If you’re using dried beans, soak them overnight in water.
Next morning, get out your colander, throw it into the kitchen sink, and drain and rinse the beans.
Put the beans into a big ol’ pot. Add salt and pepper and Uncle Henry’s Hot Sauce (or white vinegar). Add your ham hock and cover with water at least 2 inches above the beans. (You can also put the ham hock into the pot by itself, add a cup or 2 of water, put the lid on, and cook it over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until the water gets the flavor of the ham hock. Then add the beans and the seasoning.
Cook over medium heat 'til soft, and the water has almost cooked down, about 50-60 minutes. Taste the beans to see if they need a little more salt or pepper. If the beans are not soft yet, add another cup and a half of water and let the juice cook down until the beans are soft. The water will cook down and become a rich broth, which is what us countryfolk call “pot liquor.”
Serve with some hot cornbread slathered in butter. YUM!
Comments