Marianne Martinez
Green beans with bacon is a delicious and easy-to-make side dish that can be prepared in a crock pot. The recipe is flexible and can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans, and can be adapted to include potatoes and other seasonings. The key to this dish is cooking the bacon until crispy and using the bacon grease to add flavour to the green beans. The crock pot does most of the work, allowing the flavours to meld together and the green beans to soak up the bacon flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Side dish |
| Main Ingredients | Green beans, bacon |
| Other Ingredients | Onions, garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika, sugar, potatoes, tomatoes |
| Cookware | Slow cooker/crockpot |
| Preparation | Cut bacon into small pieces, cook until crispy, add onions and garlic, add green beans and other ingredients to crockpot |
| Cooking Time | 3-8 hours depending on heat setting and desired tenderness |
| Calories | 81-355 kcal |
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What You'll Learn
Cooking times and temperatures
The cooking time for this dish depends on the heat setting you choose for your crock pot. On low heat, the green beans will need to cook for 6 to 8 hours. On high heat, they will be done in 3 to 5 hours. You can also cook them on high heat for 1 hour and then hold them warm for up to 4 hours.
The cooking time also depends on your desired texture for the beans. If you prefer firmer beans, reduce the cooking time. For softer beans, cook them for longer.
If you are using canned green beans, you only need to cook them until they are warmed through.
If you are cooking the bacon separately, it should be fried over medium heat for 7 to 9 minutes until crispy.
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Ingredients and preparation
This recipe for slow cooker green beans with bacon is a delicious Southern-style side dish. It is packed full of flavor and takes just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of work. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans for this recipe. If you are using fresh beans, you may want to add some more stock to help with moisture and keep an eye on the cooking time as it may take a bit longer.
To start, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook them in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Next, add the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant and aromatic.
Now, it's time to assemble the crockpot. Lightly spray the crock of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the green beans, chicken broth or stock, onion, salt, pepper, and about half of the bacon. If you are using potatoes, you can add them at this stage as well. Give everything a good stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 5 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally if possible. The beans are done when they are tender to your liking. Finally, serve the green beans with the remaining crispy bacon on top. Enjoy!
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Serving suggestions
Slow cooker green beans with bacon is a versatile side dish that can be served at a variety of meals and occasions. Here are some serving suggestions:
Holiday Meals
Green beans cooked with bacon in a crock pot is a perfect side dish for holiday meals such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. It complements the typical Thanksgiving grub and can be made ahead of time, freeing up oven and stovetop space for preparing other dishes. It can be served alongside traditional holiday dishes such as honey-baked ham, mashed potatoes with kale and green onions (colcannon), and salads.
Backyard Barbecues
This dish is also ideal for casual gatherings like backyard barbecues. It can be served as a side with grilled meats, such as pulled pork, and other barbecue classics.
Potlucks and Gatherings
The slow cooker green beans and bacon dish is a reliable choice for potlucks and large gatherings as it can be made in large quantities and kept warm in the crock pot. It feeds a crowd and can be served with a variety of other potluck dishes.
Weeknight Meals
For busy weeknights, this dish can be paired with simple main courses like baked mac and cheese or turkey meatballs with herbed gravy. It adds a flavorful and nutritious veggie component to the meal.
Southern-Style Meals
Green beans and bacon is a classic Southern dish, especially when served with potatoes. It can be part of a Southern-style meal, including dishes like country-style ribs, chicken and noodles, pinto beans, and ham. Don't forget to enjoy the "pot likker" or the flavorful liquid left in the pot!
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Storing and reheating
To reheat, you have a few options:
- Microwave: Place the green beans in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and heat for a few minutes until hot, stirring occasionally.
- Stovetop: Reheat the green beans over medium heat until warmed through.
- Crockpot: Add the green beans back to the crockpot and heat on high for about 30 minutes or up to 1-2 hours until warmed.
You can also freeze this dish for later! Simply cool the green beans to room temperature and then store them in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to two to three months. When you're ready to enjoy them again, thaw and reheat gently, keeping in mind that the texture of the beans may change slightly upon freezing and become softer.
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Recipe variations
There are several ways to put your own spin on this classic dish. Here are some ideas:
- Potatoes: Many people like to add potatoes to their green beans and bacon. You can use baby potatoes, raw potatoes, or frozen potatoes. If you're adding raw potatoes, make sure to cut them into small pieces so they cook through.
- Onions: Cooking your bacon with onions is a great way to build flavor in the dish. You can use yellow onions, sweet onions, or even scallions. Cook them in the bacon grease until they're translucent or softened.
- Spices and Seasonings: Feel free to experiment with different spices and seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, or black pepper. You can also add garlic cloves or fresh garlic for extra flavor.
- Broth: While chicken broth is commonly used in this dish, you can also try using beef broth or even just water. If you want a richer dish, add more broth.
- Meat: While bacon is the star of this dish, you can also add other meats like leftover ham, smoked sausage links, or even country-style ribs.
- Cooking Method: If you don't have a crockpot or slow cooker, you can also make this dish on the stovetop. Just cook the bacon and onions in a skillet, then add the green beans and other ingredients and simmer until tender.
- Green Bean Type: You can use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans for this dish. Frozen green beans may need a longer cooking time, while canned green beans are already cooked and just need to be heated through.
- Sides: This dish goes well with a variety of sides, such as mac and cheese, turkey meatballs, cornbread, or mashed potatoes.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 3 to 10 hours depending on the recipe and the level of heat.
You will need bacon, green beans, and possibly onion, garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes.
It is recommended to cook the bacon until crispy and set aside the bacon grease before adding it to the crock pot.
Yes, canned green beans can be used but they may not hold their shape as well as frozen or raw green beans.
The green beans are done when they are tender to your liking.
