My grandfather ate this every single week during hard times. Three cheap ingredients and your slow cooker makes the most filling comfort meal you’ve e
Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Potatoes and Butter Beans
This simple slow cooker recipe turns a handful of inexpensive pantry staples into a hearty, comforting meal. Tender potatoes and creamy butter beans simmer slowly with bacon grease or butter, creating a rich, rustic broth with plenty of old-fashioned Southern flavor. As the potatoes soften, their natural starch thickens the cooking liquid, giving the dish a satisfying, gravy-like consistency without the need for extra ingredients.
Perfect for budget-friendly family meals, this humble recipe requires very little preparation and lets the slow cooker do most of the work.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Russet or yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks | 2 pounds |
| Canned butter beans or lima beans, drained and rinsed | 2 cans (15–16 ounces each) |
| Bacon grease, lard, or unsalted butter | 4 tablespoons |
| Water | 4 cups |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon, or to taste |
| Black pepper | ½ teaspoon, optional |
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes: Wash, peel if desired, and cut the potatoes into evenly sized 1-inch chunks. Place them in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer.
- Add the butter beans: Drain and rinse the canned butter beans, then scatter them over the potatoes.
- Add the fat: Distribute the bacon grease or butter over the potatoes and beans. The fat adds richness and helps give the broth a fuller, more savory flavor.
- Pour in the water: Add the water, salt, and black pepper, if using. Stir gently to distribute the seasonings while keeping most of the potatoes beneath the liquid.
- Slow cook until tender: Cover and cook on
