Southern Style Speckled Butter Beans

• 1 meaty smoked ham hock or other smoked meat
• 1 quart of water
• 1 pound of fresh or frozen speckled butter beans or baby limas (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup of minced, smoked ham
• 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings
• 1 tablespoon of half and half, optional
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of Creole or Cajun seasoning, or to taste, optional

Slash ham hock with a knife and place in a pot; add water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Rinse fresh beans and sort through for any stems or other debris. Add the beans, bring back up to a boil, stir, reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes.

Remove the ham hock and pull any meat off; return meat to pot and discard bone. Add in minced, smoked ham. Stir in the bacon fat or butter, half and half, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking, uncovered, about 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until beans reach the texture desired. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and let rest 10 minutes in the juices. Even better the next day.

The dish above shows beans with polish sausage. Oh so yummy I hope you enjoy

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