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