Mad Man Butter Beans (with smoked ham hocks)

This Mad Man Butter Beans (with smoked ham hocks) recipe is apparently worth fighting for (as you will find out when you read the short story below). Easy to cook and down right larapin -- as 20 out of 20 White Tail deer hunters would agree. Try it sometime, but be sure you make enough for everyone, or you may find yourself in a heap of trouble.

Ingredients

• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 shakes of Colgin liquid smoke
• 2 1/2 cups large dried Lima beans

Instructions

In a 4 quart stock pot place all of the above ingredients (except for the large dried Lima beans) and boil for about 30-45 minutes. Make sure that the hocks are covered by a half-inch of water at all times (it may take more than a couple quarts depending on the size of your hocks). Then place all ingredients in a 5 quart crock-pot and slow-cook for several hours until the hocks have fallen apart and the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and carefully so as not to bruise the beans. May be served with cornbread, rice...or eaten alone. Serves six.

Note: it is the liquid smoke that gives this recipe its delicious taste.

This is a Cajun dish which I named after a deer hunter who was late for supper one evening. I was the camp cook that year for a hunting club of about three dozen members. His deer stand was located on the far outer-periphery of a large hunting lease containing several hundred acres--mostly forest. Although he had a fancy and fast 4-wheeler, when it came time to head back to the camp galley for supper, it always took him longer than the other hunters. This particular day it seemed his pals liked my smoked ham hocks and butter beans so much they couldn't wait for him to arrive at the supper table ... and didn't bother to leave the poor lad any.

He was one angry cuss! I don't think any amount of levity would have tamed this cave man's growling stomach and his in-your-face verbal assaults (directed at me, of course). My grandpa use to say that intelligent people don't have to use profanity to drive home a point. Apparently this deer hunter had not heard that saying.

I don't blame him because I would be mad, too, if I had missed-out on that delicious meal.

Not to fret, mon ami--here is the recipe I promised, and I have dedicated it to you and all the cavemen of the world (and cave women) who are always late for supper.

Bon appetite!
KT