Southern Lima Beans with Smoked Turkey

Name: Southern Lima Beans with Smoked Turkey
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) dried baby lima beans, sorted and rinsed; 8 cups (1900 ml) cool water, for soaking the beans; 1 wing (about 1 lb) (450 g) smoked turkey wing, whole, rinsed; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) large yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups (475 ml) water, for simmering; 1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf; ½ tsp (½ g) dried thyme; ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; kosher salt, to taste, about ½–1 tsp; 1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar (optional); hot pepper sauce, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender baby lima beans simmer low and slow with a smoked turkey wing, buttery onion and chicken broth until the beans turn creamy and the pot liquor is rich and savory. A classic Southern side for cornbread, rice or Sunday greens.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 20 min
Wait: 8 hr 10 min
Total: 10 hr 10 min
Makes: About 7 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 lb (454 g) dried baby lima beans, sorted and rinsed
8 cups (1900 ml) cool water, for soaking the beans
1 wing (about 1 lb) (450 g) smoked turkey wing, whole, rinsed
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) large yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (475 ml) water, for simmering
1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf
½ tsp (0.5 g) dried thyme
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt, to taste, about ½–1 tsp
1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar (optional)
hot pepper sauce, for serving (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large bowl (4-quart / 4 L) for soaking
Colander
5- to 6-quart (4.7-5.7 L) heavy lidded pot or enameled cast-iron casserole
Wooden spoon
Cutting board and chef's knife
Tongs
Two forks

Steps

Before you start

Beans need an 8-hour (overnight) soak. Short on time? Quick soak: cover with water, boil 2 minutes, turn off heat, cover and stand 1 hour, then drain.
Smoked turkey wings and broth are salty, so do not add salt until the very end.
Sort the dry beans on a plate and discard any shriveled beans or small stones.
Everything is cooked on the stovetop; no oven is needed. Active time is about 40 minutes, with about 80 minutes on the stove.

1
Soak the beans
- Pour the sorted, rinsed lima beans into a large bowl and cover with 8 cups (1.9 L) cool water.
- Let stand at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
- The beans will swell to about double their size.
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Ready when: Beans are plump and wrinkle-free
Tip: Keep the bowl large; beans expand a lot.
2
Drain and prep
- Drain the beans in a colander and rinse under cool water.
- Dice the onion into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and mince the garlic.
- Rinse the turkey wing and pat dry.
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Tip: Discard the soaking water; it carries the compounds that cause gas.
3
Sweat the onion
- Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with only a hint of golden color; garlic smells fragrant
Tip: Lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown; it turns bitter.
4
Add beans and liquid
- Add the drained beans, turkey wing, chicken broth, 2 cups (475 ml) water, bay leaf, thyme and pepper.
- Stir and bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.
- Skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling across the whole surface
Tip: The liquid should cover the beans by about 1 inch (2.5 cm); add a splash of water if not.
5
Simmer until creamy
- Reduce the heat to low so the liquid barely bubbles.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring gently every 20 minutes.
- Add hot water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time if the beans become uncovered.
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Ready when: Beans are tender all the way through, mash easily against the pot, and the broth is slightly thickened and creamy
Tip: A hard boil splits the skins and makes the beans mushy before they are tender.
6
Shred the turkey
- Lift the turkey wing onto a cutting board with tongs and cool for 5 minutes.
- Pull off and discard the skin, then shred the meat from the bones with two forks.
- Discard the bones and the bay leaf.
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Ready when: Meat pulls easily from the bone
Tip: Check the meat for small bones and tendons while shredding.
7
Return meat and season
- Stir the shredded turkey back into the beans.
- Simmer uncovered over low heat for 5 minutes to thicken the broth.
- Taste, then add salt a pinch at a time and the vinegar, if using.
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Ready when: Broth coats the back of a spoon and tastes savory and balanced
Tip: Salt last. The wing and broth are salty and the liquid reduces.
8
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 10 minutes so the beans absorb flavor and the broth thickens further.
- Serve hot in bowls with a spoonful of pot liquor and hot sauce at the table.
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Ready when: Liquid is creamy, not watery

Good to know

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle for creamy beans with intact skins.
Use low-sodium broth and season only at the end.
A teaspoon of vinegar at the end brightens the smoky richness.
Mash a few beans against the side of the pot for a thicker, creamier broth.

Make ahead

Soak the beans up to 24 hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. The finished beans taste even better made 1 day ahead; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in airtight containers with some broth; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, adding a splash of water or broth, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

smoked turkey wing → smoked turkey legs or necks (about 1 lb / 450 g). Cook the same way; allow extra time to pull the meat.
dried baby lima beans → frozen baby lima beans (2 lb / 900 g). No soaking; add to the pot in step 4 and simmer only 25 to 35 minutes with 3 cups total liquid.
low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth. Gives a lighter flavor; smoked turkey still provides depth.
unsalted butter → bacon drippings or olive oil. Use the same amount; drippings add a smokier flavor.