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For excellent, basic lima beans & ham, I use these heirlooms: Kurzer’s Calico Traveler Lima Bean

https://greatlakesstapleseeds.com/products/kurzers-calico-traveler-lima?variant=7552475725866

I got them as a bonus in a FR Garden Ping List seed trade, accidentally mislabeled as a cowpea.

Took me years of searching to finally identify what I had. They’re the only lima we’ve ever been able to reliably grow in South Dakota, and are absolutely a great “speckled butter bean”.

I also sometimes add them into the mix for my pork & beans, below. Yes, I also grow the heirloom White Greasy Cut-Shorts used in the recipe.

Clyde’s Beans Slightly modified from the published recipe I submitted to Penzey’s Spices, before Bill Penzey went woker than woke.

Clyde [ApplegateRanch] (kind of) explains: “These are neither chili beans, nor baked beans, nor really ‘traditional’ pork & beans/’cowboy’ beans. They are not meant to be a ‘fire breather,’ though they’re not supposed to be bland, either.” Now that that’s clear, dig in!

Prep. time: 10 minutes plus overnight bean
soaking
Cooking time: 4-6 hours
Serves: 8-10

2 Cups dry beans; Clyde grows his own heirloom White Greasy Cut-Short beans, but great Northern
beans or navy beans work very well. Really, a mix is best; about a 1/2 cup of the Kurzer’s works well.

Water for soaking overnight; water for cooking

2 large OR 3 small smoked ham hocks; OR an equivalent amount of ham scraps/trimmings and a ham bone

8 strips bacon, cut crosswise into 1⁄4-inch strips

salt pork 1⁄4-1⁄2 lb. lean, cubed

1 large yellow onion, diced

1⁄2 Cup unsulfured molasses

2 14.5-oz. cans OR 1 29-oz. can diced or stewed tomatoes (I like to use 1 smaller can of diced, and 1 of “Italian Style” stewed)

1⁄2 Cup packed brown sugar (dark preferred)

1⁄4 Cup lemon juice OR apple cider vinegar

2 TB. maple syrup

1⁄2 Cup ketchup OR 1 TB. tomato paste

1 tsp. WHOLE YELLOW MUSTARD SEEDS, and 1 tsp. WHOLE BROWN MUSTARD SEEDS, coarsely ground

1 tsp. EPAZOTE

1⁄2-1 tsp. FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER, to taste

Optional:
CRUSHED RED PEPPERS to taste
GRANULATED GARLIC, to taste
2-3 ribs celery, diced

Wash, drain, and rinse the beans. Place in large pot with enough water to cover them with at
least their own depth above them, and let soak overnight.

The next morning, drain and rinse the beans and place in a large non-aluminum (I use a large cast iron Dutch oven) pot, and add water, just to cover, about 8 cups.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low, adding the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer slowly for 4-6 hours, (I usually put them on the woodstove) being sure to add water as needed to keep the beans in liquid at all times. Stir often enough to keep the bottom from sticking or burning.

When done, the liquid should be fairly thick, rather than runny, with the meat evenly
distributed; but not quite as thick as chili. Remove any bones before serving.

These are best served in a large soup bowl ladled over freshly baked, buttered slices of bread; a ‘heavy’ bread is best, such as whole wheat-barley bread.

Nutritional Information: Servings 10; Serving Size 1 cup (280g);
Calories 460; Calories from fat 180; Total fat 21g; Cholesterol
35mg; Sodium 650mg; Carbohydrate 56g; Dietary Fiber 8g;
Sugars 29g; Protein 14g.