What is the different between Butter Beans and Lima Beans?

[omarick1948]

I love butter beans, but have never known the difference in them or Lima's. Is it just the way you make Lima's?

 

[nhmoose]

same bean, but regional names or one has a slight yellow to it, from the internet.

 

[crockett]

I always thought that butter beans were more of a pale color, not as green as a lima bean, and much larger than a lima bean.
Last Thanksgiving I did a butter bean and corn casserole baked in milk and topped with bread crumbs and bacon. Wicked good.

 

[omarick1948]

Crockett, So what time is Thanksgiving dinner this year! That sounds gooood!

Rick :metoo:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Phaseolus lunatus, butter bean or lima bean, is an herbaceous plant in the Fabaceae (legume or bean family) native to Central and South America, now cultivated in warm, semi-tropical regions throughout the world for its beans, which can be eaten fresh (generally without the bean pods) or dried (although they must be cooked for at least 10 minutes, or treated by fermentation, to destroy toxic cyanogenic glycosides).

P. lunatus includes a large-seeded type, the butter bean, thought to have been domesticated in Peru around 4,000 years ago””hence the common name, lima bean, for the capital of Peru, although the latter name may also refer to the beans from the species P. limensis (which is sometimes classified as a variety of P. lunatus)””and imported to Africa and Madagascar by way of Brazil, A second, smaller-seeded variety, the sieva, was developed later, probably in Central America and Mexico around 500 years ago, and introduced from there to the Philippines and other parts of Asia by the Spaniards.

Plants of both varieties are perennial, but are generally grown as annuals, and have erect bush forms, which grow to around 1 m (3.25 ft) tall, and twining forms, up to 4 m (13 ft) long. Plants have trifoliate compound leaves with oval leaflets, each up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long. The white to yellow flowers, which occur in loose, open unbranched clusters (racemes) develop into broad, flat pods up to 9 cm long. This species requires a long, warm growing season for beans to develop.

Butter beans, which are high in protein, vitamins B and C, and various minerals (including iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium) are sometimes picked when green, shelled, and prepared as a cooked vegetable with a relatively short cooking time (or frozen or canned). More often, however, the beans are harvested when the pods have fully matured and dried. The dried beans are then soaked and cooked for several hours, and cooked into numerous soups, stews, and meat dishes. Dried beans, including this species, are an important source of protein in many parts of Africa, southeast Asia, and South America.

The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that total commercial production of dried beans (which includes butter beans but also beans of other species and numerous varieties) was 23.23 million metric tons worldwide in 2010, harvested from 29.92 million hectares. India was the leading producer, responsible for 21% of total production, followed by Brazil, Myanmar, China, the U.S., and Mexico. Within the U.S., the major dried-bean producing states in 2007 were North Dakota, Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Idaho, although California produces a large share of lima beans.

 

[Nativearizonan]

As far as I am concerned, butter beans are lima beans, but not all lima beans are butter beans. Butter beans are large white lima beans, usually cooked up from dry beans. If the beans are picked while they are still green and canned or frozen, they are often called baby limas instead of butter beans Other lima beans are speckled or brown limas. There are actually a lot of different limas, and they were and are grown in the SW US. There are also native wild limas in the SW US, though they are small and inedible.

 

[satx78247]

CORRECT.

I won't say "on forum" what we GIs called "ham & lima beans" that came in C-rats during the RVN War.
(I'd bet that any number of other GIs "of a certain age" know, too. = CHUCKLE.)

yours, satx

 

[Jim C]

Clyde, I would ask you what time it tis but I'm afraid if I did you'd try to tell me how to build a clock :haha:

Just pullin' yer leg a little buddy. Actually your reply is pretty interesting :wink:

 

[sidelock]

Do you have a PHD in BUTTERBEANS? :yakyak:

 

[tenngun]

Lima beans, or beans in general will give me a phdddddddd like sound, does that count?

 

[nhmoose]

CORRECT.

I won't say "on forum" what we GIs called "ham & lima beans" that came in C-rats during the RVN War.
(I'd bet that any number of other GIs "of a certain age" know, too. = CHUCKLE.)

yours, satx

Uh they were good IMHO

 

[satx78247]

Do you have functioning taste buds??
(NOBODY that I knew would eat 'em unless they were starving.)

yours, satx

 

[Don Steele]

I liked them too....IF I had time to warm'em up. :thumbsup:

Cold...not so much. :shake: :haha:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

What is the different between Butter Beans and Lima Beans?

The gag reflex when they are eaten, but I doubt there is a difference. :barf:

LD

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

What is the different between Butter Beans and Lima Beans?

The gag reflex when they are eaten, but I doubt there is a difference. :barf:

I agree totally! If I was forced to choose between eating butter beans, lima beans, or my shoes: I would be walking around barefoot. :stir:

 

[George]

I'm amazed how many people don't seem to have an appreciation for the finer things in life. The thought of doing without butterbean soup and fried cornbread, fordhook limas and corn, baby limas dressed with soy sauce and butter is unthinkable to me. But then, I'm one of those very smart people who dotes on grits, so I am not surprised I don't fit into this bunch. :haha: :haha:

Spence

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

fried cornbread

A connection between lima beans and cornbread you say? Please continue... :hmm:


I am far from giving up on grits. :nono:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Well! I fancy myself an Epicurean....But I have not developed a taste for lima beans...Cornbread is delicious, but if you leave it outside in a rainstorm overnight it will resemble grits in both taste and appearance... :haha:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Cornbread is delicious, but if you leave it outside in a rainstorm overnight it will resemble grits in both taste and appearance

I go nuts over cornbread, so that still sounds amazing. :shocked2:

 

[BullRunBear]

I'm either stranger than I realized or more evolved, maybe both. I liked lima beans even as a kid. One grandmother made them as a buttery side to crispy baked chicken wings. The other grandmother, from Quebec farmer background, used them in a succotash that was incredibly rich and delicious.

My wife, however, thinks they are best left dried and used as ammo for a sling shot. :haha:

Jeff