Creamy Brown Sugar Bacon Lima Beans Recipe Is Sweet Southern Goodness (5 Ingredients) by Heather Holter
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At my in-law's house for the holidays they served these amazing lima beans that everyone loved. The only problem was they took literally days to make. This is because they started with dry beans, had to soak them overnight, then the next day they had to bake them at very a low temperature for two to four hours. The lima beans contained cream, and cooking at higher temperatures ruins the sauce because the cream curdles. So you literally have to sit and smell it while waiting all day for my absolute favorite holiday side dish. I'll take baked lima beans over the pie any day of the week!
I call them sugar beans at my house. I made this complicated lima bean recipe a few times myself at home, but once kids came along I wasn't about to invest that sort of time in a side dish. So recently, after going many years without these beans, I made a stovetop version and you can barely tell the difference!
To make these gluten-free, high-protein and high-fiber lima beans you will need four cans of lima beans (or butter beans), bacon, heavy cream, ground mustard and brown sugar. The beans simmer gently on the stovetop until thick, rich and delicious. Check out the health benefits of lima beans and the health benefits of butter beans.
Pro Tip: Whenever you make bacon save and freeze the grease to use in recipes where you need the grease but want to use premade bacon.
Serve these sweet southern lima beans as a side dish for dinner. This dish goes great with my smoked barbecue pulled pork sandwiches and corn casserole. These lima beans get even better the next day.
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 60 ounces (4 15-ounce cans) lima beans or butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 pound cooked bacon (reserve grease)
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoons ground mustard
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (divided)
Here's how to make it:
- Combine lima beans with 2 tablespoons bacon grease in a pot at medium heat. Add half the brown sugar and stir until melted. (I used lima beans and butter beans combined, but you can use one or the other as long as you use four cans. Next time I think I will use all butter beans. They absorb the sauce much better.)
- Add cream and ground mustard. Reduce heat so the cream is barely bubbling, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. Cook until the cream has thickened, up to 1 1/2 hours.
- Add half the bacon. Cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the rest of the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. (This is to taste. I like them sweeter, so I use it all, but some like just a hint of sweetness.) Stir in remaining bacon. Let stand 5 minutes and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave. This recipe could easily be cut in half.
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