Go Back
Southern lima beans with smoked turkey served with cornbread

Southern Lima Beans

These Southern Lima Beans with Smoked Turkey are slow-simmered with tender smoked turkey wings, the Creole trinity, garlic, chicken stock, butter, and bold Southern seasonings for a rich, savory pot of beans. Cooking the smoked turkey until fall-apart tender before adding the large lima beans builds a flavorful broth, while a splash of vinegar at the end balances all that smoky richness.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Creole-Inspired, soul food, Southern
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dried large lima beans sorted and rinsed
  • 2 lbs smoked turkey wings
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil if needed for searing
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cup chicken stock divided, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Bayou City All Purpose Seasoning plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Bayou City Garlic Pepper Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • Salt to taste, if needed

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with lid
  • Cutting Board
  • Chef’s knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Ladle

Method
 

Prepare the lima beans
  1. Sort through the dried lima beans, removing any debris or damaged beans, then rinse thoroughly under cool water.
  2. For a shorter cooking time, soak the beans overnight in plenty of water and drain before cooking. You can also make this recipe without soaking; the beans will simply require additional cooking time.
Sear the smoked turkey
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil if needed.
  2. Add the smoked turkey wings and sear for 2–3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. You're not trying to cook the turkey at this stage—just developing additional flavor in the pot.
  3. Remove the turkey wings and set aside.
Cook the trinity
  1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the same pot.
  2. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
Simmer the smoked turkey
  1. Return the smoked turkey wings to the pot and pour in about 6 cups of chicken stock. Add the bay leaves.
  2. Bring the stock to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for approximately 45–60 minutes, or until the smoked turkey begins to become tender and the broth is deeply flavored.
Add the lima beans
  1. Add the rinsed and drained lima beans to the pot.
  2. Pour in enough additional chicken stock to cover the beans by about 1 inch.
  3. Add the butter, Bayou City All Purpose Seasoning, Bayou City Garlic Pepper Seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne if using, and apple cider vinegar.
  4. Stir everything together.
Cook until tender
  1. Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer and cover.
  2. Cook over low to medium-low heat for approximately 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lima beans are completely tender and creamy.
  3. Add additional chicken stock as needed while the beans cook to keep them submerged and prevent the pot from drying out.
Remove the turkey meat
  1. Once the turkey is fall-apart tender, carefully remove the wings from the pot.
  2. Pull the meat from the bones, discarding the skin, bones, and any tough pieces. Shred or roughly chop the smoked turkey meat and return it to the beans.
Thicken the lima beans
  1. Once the beans are tender, remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. The liquid will reduce and naturally thicken into a rich, creamy broth. For even creamier beans, mash a small spoonful of lima beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the broth.
Season and serve
  1. Remove the bay leaves.
  2. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding additional Bayou City seasoning, vinegar, or salt as needed.
  3. Serve the lima beans hot with plenty of smoked turkey and that creamy, smoky pot liquor spooned over the top.

Notes

Don't rush the smoked turkey: Simmering the smoked turkey wings before adding the beans gives them time to become tender while creating a smoky, savory broth that flavors the entire pot.
Watch the salt: Smoked turkey, chicken stock, and seasoning blends can all contain salt. Wait until the beans are nearly finished before adding additional salt.
Don't let the beans dry out: Dried beans absorb quite a bit of liquid. Keep extra chicken stock nearby and add more whenever the liquid drops below the beans.
For creamier lima beans: Once the beans are tender, cooking them uncovered allows some of the liquid to evaporate and the natural starches to thicken the broth. Mash a few beans if you prefer an even creamier consistency.
Why add vinegar? A small splash of vinegar adds acidity that cuts through the richness of the smoked turkey and butter. It shouldn't make the beans taste vinegary—it simply brightens the finished dish.
Soaking the beans: Soaking isn't mandatory, but an overnight soak can shorten the cooking time and help the beans cook more evenly.
Make ahead: Like many Southern bean dishes, these lima beans are even better the next day. Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to loosen the beans because the broth will continue to thicken as it sits.
Freezing: Allow the beans to cool completely before transferring them to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.