Jackson Wonder Beans

Very smooth texture, velvety and sweet flavor, like a fresh shelling bean with a hint of earthiness. They call them butterbeans for a reason!
Hearty southern heirloom, very adaptable to many different climates and growing situations.
Born and bred in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 1800’s to be an easy-picking bush bean, also drought and heat tolerant.Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place that is not in direct sunlight. 12oz of dried beans will yield about 4.5 cups of cooked beans, plenty for a dinner side dish for a family of four. Cooked beans freeze beautifully. 

Rinse beans to remove dust dirt and any small pebbles. Cover beans by at least 3 inches of cold water. Soak beans for 4-6 hours, or simply leave them soaking overnight, for convenience. Drain the beans and put covered in fridge if you are not cooking them immediately. Conversely, If you are in a rush, put the beans in a large pot with enough cool water to cover by about 3-inches. Bring almost to a boil and then remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1-2 hours. 

After soaking, place the beans in a large pot and fill with cold water -- always discard soaking water and cook with fresh water. Bring almost to a boil but not quite, and continually skim any foam that rises to the surface and discard. Lower to a simmer, as low as you can, and cook for 1-2 hours, depending on size of bean and desired tenderness. The beans should remain submerged while they cook, so add more water to the pot, if you need to. Gently simmering allows beans to stay creamy in texture and insures that their skins don’t break. When cooked, remove from heat and stir in a good long pour of extra virgin olive oil. 

Kitchen lore has it that adding salt to beans while they cook will inhibit them from ever becoming tender, but it’s just not true. In fact, salt accelerates the cooking time by tenderizing the bean skins. The salt will pass through the beans’ softened skin and bring out their flavor. Add acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine, or citrus juice once the beans have softened; if added too early, acid can thicken the beans’ skin and extend cooking time. Non-acidic seasonings such as fresh herb sprigs, garlic, and onion can go into the pot from the start. Also bay leaves, whole chili peppers and peppercorns are beautiful ways to brighten a pot of beans. And don’t forget to always add your Llano Seco ham hock or sausage as well!