Tender, Smoky, and Real: Southern Green Beans slowly simmered with Bacon & Salt Pork for a comforting soul food side dish.
Now listen here, flavor seekers and soul food believers, it's your favorite flavor nerd bringin’ you down-home goodness! These Southern green beans don’t play—they simmer low and slow in a salty, smoky groove laid down by bacon and salt pork, till they’re tender and blessed with that real deal comfort flavor.
Every snap of a green bean is a bite of that time spent with grandmama, every ounce of that rendered bacon fat is a memory of country front porch summers. And just like Tank and the Bangas say in “To Be Real,” this dish don’t fake the funk—it delivers depth, texture, and love in one long, simmered story.
Beats and Eats (Music to pair with Southern style green beans)
Tank and the Bangas’ “To Be Real” floats between the playful and the profound, just like these green beans—bright, soulful, and steeped in layers. The song’s rhythm builds like the simmering pot: slow, steady, and packed with anticipation, until all the elements—bacon fat, salt pork, pepper, and tender green beans—harmonize in a savory chord that feels as good as that final verse.
Marwin's Flavor-philes and Liner Notes
Cooking tips to elevate flavor and texture based on tried and true recipe testing
Traditional Southern Green Beans are cooked with either bacon or salt pork or both. The added pulled pork was just me being a nerd about flavor and elevating an already great green beans recipe. If you’ve followed me then you’re probably familiar with my cabbage cooked in smoked brisket fat cap. This is a similar technique.
Start with a Flavor Base (Render That Fat)
- Cook bacon (and salt pork if using) low and slow until crispy. Don’t rush it—this renders out the flavorful fat, which becomes your liquid gold.
- Remove the crispy bits of cooked bacon and set them aside to sprinkle on top later for contrast and texture.
Sauté Aromatics in Bacon Fat
- Use the rendered bacon fat to sauté onions and garlic until translucent and aromatic. This infuses a savory backbone into every bite. Reserve any leftover bacon grease for later cooking.
Use Fresh Green Beans
- Trimmed fresh green beans hold texture better than canned or frozen green beans. Look for bright green beans that snap when bent.
- Blanching them briefly before simmering can also help preserve color and structure.
Low and Slow is the Soul
- Simmer the green beans gently in chicken broth or water, seasoned with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to balance the richness.
- Let them braise low and slow with bacon, salt pork, and aromatics until tender but not mushy.
Layer Seasonings
- Season in stages: add salt and pepper early, but taste and adjust before serving.
- A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end can brighten and deepen the final flavor.
Rest and Reheat (Optional Bonus)
- Like good collards, cooked beans taste even better the next day. Let them rest in their pot liquor overnight for even more flavor depth.
Serving Suggestions
Making green beans with a lil crispy bacon takes me back to those large Sunday meals my grandmother cooked. If green beans were on the menu then odds were high that creamy Southern style mashed potatoes with gravy were the other side dish and country chicken fried pork steaks was the paired main entree.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans tips removed
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion slice
- 4-6 slices Bacon chopped
- 4 oz Salt Pork sliced
- ½ lb Smoked Pulled Pork optional
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix spices together in small bowl.
- Pre-heat skillet to medium heat. Add bacon and salt pork. Saute to release their flavor. Cook until bacon is fully cooked. Remove and set aside the bacon and salt pork.
- Add sliced onions and saute 3-4 minutes. Add chopped garlic cloves and cook another minute. Season the vegetables with a ⅓ of the spice mix.
- Add the smoked pulled pork if using and cook for a minute or two just long enough to release the flavor.
- Add green beans and mix well to coat most of the beans in the infused bacon fat. Add chicken stock, water plus half the remaining seasoning. Mix well and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook covered 1 ½ - 2 hours. Halfway through cooking add remaining spices and the cider vinegar. Remove from heat and serve.
Video
Ted
Saturday 23rd of November 2024
You mention vinegar and sugar in the narrative but not in the recipe nor ingredients list. How much and when?
Marwin Brown
Saturday 23rd of November 2024
hi the sugar is a mistake and shouldn't have been included. I did update the recipe to reflect no sugar plus the cider vinegar amount (1 tbsp). Thanks!
Marwin Brown
Monday 30th of August 2021
For the Culture!
Julia
Saturday 28th of August 2021
I used to live in Nashville and there was a great restaurant that served these green beans, really brings back memories.
Sara LaFountain
Saturday 28th of August 2021
Delicious side dish! Loved them with an italian chicken. perfectly seasoned and easy to make.