Place lima beans in a pot; pour in enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil; remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.
Overnight method (preferred):
Soak overnight at least 8 hours, rinse and drain.
Prepare ham bone
Combine ham bone and 8 cups water/bouillon in a
large pot. Simmer over medium-low heat until remaining meat falls off
the bone, about 2 hours. Remove and discard bone. Dice or shred ham.
Keep the broth for the soup.
Final step
Add cooked ham bone meat, lima beans, carrots and spices to the retained broth. Reduce heat and simmer, adding additional water if needed, until beans have the right tenderness, about 90 minutes. Do not overcook or the beans turn to mush.
