Bean Soup Ii

This lima bean soup is Southern slow-cooker wisdom in action: a ham bone, four ham hocks, and a bag of dried lima beans working together over a long simmer until the beans break down into a creamy, smoky broth that tastes like it’s been cooking all weekend. A pressure cooker cuts the front end down to minutes for the beans, but the pot still benefits from a real simmer after that.

The ham hocks are doing all the heavy work here. Their collagen melts into the broth, lending body that no amount of cornstarch or roux can replicate, while the smoky meat flavors everything around it. Celery and green onions keep the vegetable base simple so the smoked pork stays the star. A shake of lemon pepper at the end brightens the whole pot and cuts through the richness.

Chef Tips

• Skim foam during the first 15 minutes of simmer. It floats up from the beans and makes the soup gray if left in.
• Pull the meat off the ham hocks after simmering, chop it, and return it to the pot. Nobody wants to fish bones out of their bowl.
• Taste before salting. Ham hocks and lemon pepper carry plenty of sodium on their own.
• Serve with skillet cornbread studded with jalapeños and corn kernels for the true Southern experience.

Variations

• Swap lima beans for navy, great Northern, or 15-bean soup mix for different textures.
• Add a can of diced tomatoes and a chopped bell pepper for a brighter, Creole-leaning version.
• Use smoked turkey wings instead of ham hocks for a lighter, equally smoky result.