Creamy lima beans simmered with smoky turkey necks make a comforting, savory meal. Serve them with golden hoecakes for a hearty Southern-style dinner.
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus soaking
Cook time: 2½–3 hours
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Lima beans
- 1 lb (450 g) dried lima beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1½–2 lb (680–900 g) smoked turkey necks
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or hot sauce, optional
Hoecakes
- 1 cup (120 g) fine cornmeal
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk or milk, plus more as needed
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
- Oil or butter, for frying
Instructions
Cook the lima beans
- Soak the beans. Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl and cover with several inches of water. Soak for 8 hours or overnight, then drain. For a quicker option, simmer the beans in water for 2 minutes, cover, and let stand for 1 hour before draining.
- Start the simmer. Add the drained beans, smoked turkey necks, onion, celery, garlic, broth or water, bay leaf, black pepper, and smoked paprika, if using, to a large pot.
- Cook until tender. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover partially and simmer gently for about 2–2½ hours, stirring occasionally. Add hot water or broth as needed to keep the beans covered. The beans are ready when tender and creamy.
- Finish the pot. Remove the turkey necks and bay leaf. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, discard the bones and skin, and return the meat to the pot. Taste and add salt as needed. Stir in vinegar or hot sauce, if desired.
Make the hoecakes
- Mix the batter. In a bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined. Add a little more milk if the batter is too thick to spoon.
- Cook the hoecakes. Heat a thin layer of oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon in the batter to make small cakes. Cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Work in batches, adding more fat as needed.
- Serve. Spoon the beans and turkey into bowls and serve hot with hoecakes on the side.
Tips
- Smoked turkey can be salty, so season the beans with salt near the end of cooking.
- Keep the beans at a gentle simmer to help them cook evenly and hold their shape.
- For thicker beans, mash a small spoonful against the side of the pot and stir it back in.
- If using fresh or frozen lima beans instead of dried, skip soaking and shorten the simmer; add them to the pot with enough liquid to cook until tender.