Southern green beans

5.00

We tend to eat our green beans fairly fresh in the UK, but slow cooking is the technique of choice in the American Deep South. Green beans are gently braised with bacon, new potatoes and chicken stock to make a delicious, comforting side dish – a perfect accompaniment to your next Sunday roast.

First published in 2019

If you're considering what to do with your green beans, slow cooking might not be the first thing that springs to mind. We often value green beans for their fresh crunch, but in the American Deep South, slow cooked green beans are a staple side dish through the summer months, where they're braised down with plenty of bacon, garlic, onion and potatoes – definitely one to try out with your next roast dinner.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Method

1
Add the oil to a wide saucepan and add about a third of the bacon. Fry until very crisp, then remove using a slotted spoon. Reserve to sprinkle over at the end for a bit of crunch
2
Add the rest of the bacon along with the onions. Fry until translucent then add the minced garlic and fry for a couple of minutes, ensuring it only softens and doesn't start to crisp up
3
Add the green beans and stir to coat
4
Next add the potatoes and stock. Simmer with a lid on for 30 minutes
5
Remove the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes, you want most of the braising liquid to have reduced away, leaving you with just a little sauce to coat
6
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the crunchy bacon bits and serve up warm
First published in 2019

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