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Creamy, smoky butter beans slow-simmered with a meaty ham hock and the holy trinity until they're falling-apart tender, the kind of humble dish that makes you understand why simple food done right is the greatest cooking there is.
Apot of butter beans tells you everything you need to know about a cook. You cannot fake it. You cannot rush it. You either put in the time and build the flavor, or you end up with something forgettable. My grandmother Evangeline made these beans every Monday, using the ham bone from Sunday dinner. Nothing went to waste in her kitchen, and everything tasted like love.
The ham hock is doing the heavy lifting here. All that collagen, all that smoky pork fat, it renders out over hours and turns ordinary beans into something rich and silky. The liquid gets glossy. The beans get creamy. The meat falls right off the bone. That's when you know you've done it right.
At Lagniappe, we serve these alongside blackened redfish and smothered pork chops. They belong on a Cajun table the way cornbread belongs next to greens. But I'll tell you a secret: a bowl of these beans with some hot sauce and crusty French bread is a complete meal. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Good food is honest food, and this is as honest as it gets.
Quantity
1 pound
Quantity
1 large (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 large
diced
Quantity
2
diced
Quantity
1 medium
diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
2
Quantity
4 sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon, or to taste
Quantity
6 cups
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly cracked
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
3
sliced thin
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| dried butter beans (large lima beans) | 1 pound |
| smoked ham hock | 1 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) |
| bacon fat or vegetable oil | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 large |
| celery stalksdiced | 2 |
| green bell pepperdiced | 1 medium |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| fresh thyme | 4 sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried) |
| Cajun seasoning | 1 teaspoon |
| smoked paprika | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon, or to taste |
| chicken stock or water | 6 cups |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | 1/2 teaspoon |
| unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| green onionssliced thin | 3 |
| hot sauce (optional) | for serving |
Sort through your butter beans, discarding any stones or shriveled beans. Rinse them well under cold water. Place in a large bowl and cover with water by three inches. Let them soak overnight, or at least eight hours. The beans will double in size, so do not skimp on the water.
Drain and rinse your soaked beans. Heat bacon fat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When the fat shimmers, add the ham hock and brown it on all sides, turning every few minutes. You want deep golden color and some fond building on the bottom of the pot. This takes about eight to ten minutes. Remove the hock and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the rendered fat. This is your holy trinity, the foundation of Cajun cooking. Season lightly with salt right now because it draws moisture from the vegetables and helps them soften. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the edges begin to caramelize, about eight minutes. The kitchen should smell like home.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the garlic to the center. Let it sizzle for thirty seconds until fragrant, then stir it into the trinity. Add the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Stir constantly for one minute to toast the spices. You'll smell them bloom and the color will deepen. This is seasoning in layers, the bayou way.
Return the ham hock to the pot. Add the drained beans, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Pour in the chicken stock. The liquid should cover everything by about an inch. If it doesn't, add water until it does. Season with one teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and let the beans simmer gently for two and a half to three hours. You want lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Stir every thirty minutes, checking the liquid level and adding water if the beans start to peek above the surface. The beans are ready when they're creamy and tender, breaking apart slightly when you press them against the side of the pot.
Remove the ham hock to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone, discarding the skin, fat, and bone. Shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. You should have about one and a half cups of smoky, tender pork. Return the meat to the pot.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Stir in the butter until it melts and makes the beans glossy. Taste now. This is the moment of truth. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you want more heat, add cayenne a pinch at a time. The beans should be creamy, the liquid rich and slightly thickened, the pork flavor running through every bite.
Ladle the beans into deep bowls. Scatter sliced green onions over each serving for brightness and color. Set the hot sauce on the table so folks can add their own heat. Serve with rice, crusty French bread, or both. When the last bite is as good as the first, you've done it right.
1 serving (about 300g)
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