Southern Green Beans Recipe
Fresh green beans simmered low and slow withbacon, onion, and broth until soft and deeply seasoned, the real Southernmethod rather than a quick blanch.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
- 5 to 6 slices bacon, chopped (or salt pork, ham hock,or smoked turkey)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 to 3 cups chicken broth
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of sugar
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes.
- Add onion and cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add green beans, broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, until beans are very tender.
- If needed, uncover and reduce excess liquid over higher heat for the last 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning
Notes
Use fresh beans, not canned, for this long-simmer method. Canned beans are already cooked and will disintegrate. For a quick version with canned or frozen beans, cut the simmer time to 20 to 30 minutes.