INGREDIENTS:
1 meaty ham bones or 3 large ham hocks
3 cup water
1 1/2 pounds butter beans, fresh or 2 16-oz cans of butter beans, drained
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening -- solid
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound okra, washed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the ham bone and water in a large saucepan. Cover and heat to
boiling. Reduce the heat to simmering and cook, covered, 45 minutes.
Remove the ham bone from the saucepan. Remove the meat from the bone,
finely shred it. and return both meat and bone to the pan.
2. Wash the butter beans and add them to the saucepan. Heat to
simmering, stir in the remaining ingredients, and simmer until the beans
and okra are tender, about 25 minutes (or less for canned beans) Discard
the ham bone and serve the beans hot.