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A butter beans recipe with smoked pork shank is pure comfort food; rich, savory, and loaded with deep, smoky flavor.
These Southern-style butter beans simmer in chicken broth with a smoky pork shank, garlic, and herbs, giving them so much flavor. No sad, watery beans here! Grab a spoon, because this recipe is the real deal.
Here is Why This Butter Beans Recipe Works
Big Flavor: Thanks to the smoked pork shank, chicken broth, and a splash of lemon juice, these butter beans are incredibly rich.
No Overnight Soaking Drama: Forget planning a day ahead. A quick soak jumpstarts the cooking process, so you can go from dried beans to tender, creamy goodness in a fraction of the time.
Not Mushy, Just Right: Nobody wants a pot of bean paste. This recipe keeps things tender but intact, with a little pro tip for checking doneness before things go too far.
A One-Pot Wonder: Everything simmers together in one big Dutch oven, meaning easy cleanup and layers of rich, smoky, garlicky flavor infused into every bite.
If you like this recipe, try my instant pot red beans and ham or my charro beans recipe.
The Ingredients
- Meat: Smoked pork shank (or ham hock)
- Produce: Lemon, fresh thyme leaves
- Pantry: Dried butter beans, chicken broth
- Pantry Seasonings: Dried granulated onions, dried granulated garlic, dried thyme, table salt, dried bay leaves
Butter beans are simply the mature, larger version of lima beans. However, don’t substitute with young, green lima beans, they have a firmer texture and shorter cooking time.
Butter Bean Variations
Spicy Cajun Butterbeans: Add 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, canned tomatoes, and a diced jalapeño. Toss in some diced ham.
Creamy Butter Beans with Bacon: Swap the pork shank for 6 slices of chopped bacon. Stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream at the end.
Mediterranean Butter Bean Recipe: Replace the pork with ½ cup of crumbled feta and a handful of chopped Kalamata olives. Stir in a teaspoon of dried oregano and a splash of red wine vinegar.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the quick soak. It speeds up cooking time and helps them cook evenly.
- Simmer, don’t boil. A rolling boil can break the beans apart and make them mushy. Keep the heat low and let them gently cook.
- Check for doneness early. Butter beans can go from firm to overcooked fast. Start testing them around the 50-minute mark.
- If your beans have been sitting in the pantry for years, they’ll take forever to cook (if they soften at all).
- Don’t toss the lemon juice in too soon. Acid can interfere with bean softening, so stir it in at the very end for the best flavor.
- If you have time, let the beans sit for 10–15 minutes before serving. They get even better as they rest!
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerating Leftovers: Let the leftovers cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If it thickens too much in the fridge, just add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Freezing for Later: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Leave a little space for expansion and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Warm the dish over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add a little broth or water if they seem too thick. Optionally, zap them in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between each,
Garlicky Butter Beans with Pork
These Southern style butter beans with smoked pork shank are rich, savory, and downright satisfying. No bland, forgettable beans here, just a pot full of slow-simmered, hearty goodness. Make a batch and serve them with my skillet cornbread.
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Smoky Butter Beans with Pork
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Ingredients
- 1 pound dried butter beans
- 1 smoked pork shank, or pork hock
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Quick pre-soak: Fill a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot half full with of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and return to a boil. Immediately remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let rest for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water.
- Return the beans to the pot and add the chicken broth, to cover the beans by 1-inch. Add the smoked pork shank, onions, garlic, thyme, salt and the bay leaves.
- Bring the pot to a boil then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans for 50-60 minutes or until they are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat, transfer the pork shank to a carving board. When the meat is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the bone, skin and any gobs of fat.
- Use a fork to break or shred the meat into smaller chunks and return to the pot of beans. Stir in the lemon juice and ladle the beans into serving bowls garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.
Notes
- The quick soak cuts down the cooking time and helps the beans cook evenly.
- Gentle simmering is key. A hard boil will wreck your beans and turn them into mush.
- Butter beans can go from perfectly tender to overdone quickly. Begin checking for doneness at the 50-minute mark. When tender to the al-dente stage, remove the pot from the heat.
- If your beans have been sitting in the pantry for years, they may not soften. Check the expiration date.
- Acid can keep the beans from softening properly, so stir the lemon juice in last.
- A pork shank, cut from below the shoulder, is meatier than a smoked pork hock, which has more bone, fat, and gristle. For this recipe, the pork shank is the best choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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