Southern Green Beans
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This southern green beans recipe features fresh green beans that are cooked to crispy tender perfection with bacon and caramelized onions. It’s the perfect side vegetable for all your favorite southern dishes!
Green beans, depending on how they’re prepared, can be either just “tolerable” or they can be something that are actually enjoyable to eat. This recipe makes eating green beans a pleasure. You won’t find yourself gulping them down just so you can clear your plate and pat yourself on the back for the accomplishment – you’ll be asking for seconds. A delicious side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare.
These beans are made “Southern style.” And that means bacon! Several years go, long before we ever moved to the South, our family took a trip out to Georgia. Aside from all the sites we wanted to see, one thing I was looking forward to in particular was enjoying some traditional Southern food – and lots of it! And I did. And I gained weight. 5 pounds to be exact. In just one week! But it was oh so worth it! (And I worked off every one of those 5 pounds as soon as we got back.)
One of the many places we visited was the cute little town of Dahlonega.
The Dahlonega Gold Museum was built in 1836 and originally served as the seat of the Lumpkin (!) county courthouse, the oldest existing courthouse in the State of Georgia. It was made with local brick containing trace amounts of gold. It’s one of the most visited historic sites in the State.
One of the reasons we visited Dahlonega was to eat at the Smith House. And that’s where we headed next to enjoy some traditional Southern fare.
The food was served “family style” as is the custom at the Smith House. They bring the food out, including bowls of practically every kind of traditional Southern side you can think of, and on busy days you share the table with strangers and pass the food around – like one big happy family.
The food tasted great. Everything had a lot of flavor. Even the collard greens tasted good – and it quickly became apparent why. Everything had one ingredient in common: Bacon grease! Everything from the creamed corn to the collard greens to the black-eyed peas was cooked with bacon grease and boy oh boy was it ever good! (The creamed corn was to die for. I could have eaten the entire bowl myself and then asked for seconds). Yes, the Southerners really have discovered the secret to making food taste great!
Southern Green Beans Recipe
Let’s get started!
You’ll need about a pound of fresh green beans for four people. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the beans for 5 minutes. Immediately drain the beans and dump them into a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a minute or two and then thoroughly drain and pat dry. This will keep them from continuing to cook and will give you that nice semi-crunchy end result.
Fry the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate.
Melt the butter in the skillet along with the remaining bacon grease and fry the onions until they begin to caramelize, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the green beans along with the salt and pepper and fry for about 5 minutes. You want them crispy but not crunchy hard.
Return the bacon to the skillet.
Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Say it with me: “Because everything is better with bacon.”
For more delicious Southern recipes try my:
- Shrimp and Grits
- Corn Pudding
- Fried Okra
- Andouille and Greens with Cheese Grits
- Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
- Jambalaya
- Skillet Cornbread
- Pickled Okra
- Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad
- Grillades and Grits
- Fried Catfish
- Chicken Fried Steak Burgers
- Boiled Peanuts
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Southern Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans , washed and trimmed
- 1/3 pound bacon , diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion , finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic , minced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the green beans for 5 minutes. Immediately drain and dump them into a large bowl of ice water to cool for a couple of minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate. Melt the butter in the skillet with the remaining bacon grease and cook the onions until beginning to caramelize, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the beans along with about 1 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes. You want them crisp but not crunchy hard. Return the bacon to the skillet and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet November 27, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This was very very good. Thanks for the recipe. I was surprised the fresh beans would be done in that short of time. Being a southerner, you know I had to add 1 t brown sugar to my onions. What southerners don’t like sugar in almost everything.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Cindy, I’m happy you enjoyed them! :)
Made these last night with your great recipe for cornish game hens. Absolutely delicious! I foresee making these over and over and ……..
Almost forgot! The tip to freeze the bacon was a life changer! Wish I had known that tip years ago!
I’m so glad, Laura, thank you for the feedback!
This is delicious!!! Took this dish to a gathering & there were NO left overs to bring back home.
I will definitely make this again! Yum!