Flavorful Butter Beans with Ham Hocks Recipe

Ingredients

1 meaty ham bone or 3 large smoked ham hocks
1 1/2 lb butter beans
2 Tbsp vegetable shortening…solid
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 lb okra, washed and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 small onion , diced
1/2 small bell pepper ,diced
cooked hot corn bread

Directions

1. IF USING SMOKED HAM HOCKS ,WASH AND PUT IN A LARGE POT , ADD SALT , PEPPERS, GARLIC POWDER AND ONION, BRING TO A BOIL …TURN HEAT DOWN TO SIMMER UNTIL MEAT IS VERY TENDER ( ABOUT 3 HRS.)
2. IF YOU ARE USING A HAM BONE ,PUT THE HAM BONE AND WATER IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN. COVER AND HEAT TO BOILING. REDUCE THE HEAT TO SIMMERING AND COOK, COVERED, 45 MIN. REMOVE THE HAM BONE FROM THE SAUCEPAN. REMOVE THE MEAT FROM THE BONE, AND FINELY SHERD IT. AND RETURN BOTH MEAT AND BONE TO THE PAN.
3. WASH THE BUTTER BEANS AND ADD THEM TO THE SAUCEPAN. HEAT TO SIMMERING NOW ADD OKRA AND VEGETABLE SHORTENING AND SUGAR SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 MIN. OR UNTIL TENDER. SERVE WITH HOT CORN BREAD