Bacon Garlic Green Beans

Name: Bacon Garlic Green Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 6 bacon strips; 1 pound fresh green beans, (rinsed, ends trimmed); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon butter; 6 garlic cloves, (minced)

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Bacon Garlic Green Beans uses fresh green beans cooked together with smoked bacon and fresh garlic. A southern style side dish!

A FRESH AND TASTY SIDE DISH RECIPE

If you grew up in the south, you probably got used to picking and snapping off the ends of green beans. It was a part of many people's childhoods! Your mom or grandma would hand you a basket of beans and tell you to get to work. These bacon garlic green beans takes those fresh veggies of summer and amps it up a notch with the help of beautiful bacon grease!

Bacon Garlic Green Beans shown fully cooked in a cast iron skillet

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Do I have to snap or trim the ends off of the green beans?

Some folks think the ends of green beans are tough. Personally, I think it's different depending on the green bean varietal. So trimming the ends is entirely up to the eater. Usually a quickly little snip of the ends can easily be done with a knife instead of going through all the beans and snapping the ends off. Also, if you by pre-packaged bagged fresh green beans, sometimes they already come "snipped." Just check your packaging.

Can I use ham instead of bacon?

Of course you can! Ham, ham hocks or jowls can be used instead of bacon.

Can I use frozen green beans?

Fresh is best here but you could absolutely use frozen green beans in this recipe. Just thaw slightly before cooking. They don't need to be completely thawed because they will cook up quickly once they get in the pan.

Can I used canned green beans?

Yes you can. Again, fresh really is best here and you don't get that "bite" like your do with fresh. However, if you insist, then just make sure to drain the beans really well. They won't need to cook as long as the fresh.

Bacon Green Beans recipe from The Country Cook, a serving of bacon green beans show in a white round plate with a bulb of garlic in the background

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

bacon
fresh green beans
salt
butter
garlic

ingredients for skillet bacon garlic green beans: slices of bacon, fresh green beans, butter, garlic and salt

HOW TO MAKE BACON GARLIC GREEN BEANS:

Cook bacon until crispy, reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease and drain the rest. Crumble bacon.

slices of bacon shown cooking in a cast iron pan

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add green beans (water should be just above the beans) and ½ teaspoon salt. Gently boil for 5 minutes, drain the beans.

fresh green beans shown in a pot of water

Heat reserved bacon grease and butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add minced garlic. Cook it while stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.

bacon grease, melted butter and minced garlic shown in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spatula

Add crumbled bacon and cooked green beans.

crumbled bacon and cooked green beans added into the cast iron skillet with minced garlic

Saute on medium heat for about 1 minute to combine all ingredients.

fully cooked green beans and bacon in a cast iron skillet

Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt (and pepper) if needed.

a pair of metal tongs grabbing a portion of bacon green beans out of a cast iron skillet

CRAVING MORE? GIVE THESE RECIPES A TRY!