Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot
These southern style green beans crockpot recipe cooks fresh beans low and slow with bacon and onion until they are silky and deeply savory. It is the old-fashioned way, and the slow cooker makes it effortless.
10
servings15
minutes7
hoursFresh green beans simmer with bacon, onion and garlic for hours until they turn silky and smoky. It is a classic Southern side.
Ingredients
2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and save about 1 tablespoon of the fat.
- Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Put the trimmed green beans in the slow cooker.
- Scrape the onion mixture over the beans and add half the bacon.
- Add the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika and red pepper flakes. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beans are very soft and olive green.
- Stir in the butter until it melts.
- Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar.
- Top with the remaining crisp bacon and serve with some of the cooking liquid.
Notes
- The beans will be soft and olive green on purpose. For a firmer bean, cook 3 hours on LOW. Frozen green beans work too, but skip thawing. Leftovers keep 4 days and taste better the next day. They reheat well on the stove.
Why Southern green beans taste better slow
Southern style green beans are not meant to be crisp. They are cooked until they are tender and silky, and they soak up the smoke from the bacon and the sweetness of the onion. The slow cooker makes that happen without a pot on the stove and without checking for water.
The cooking liquid, called pot likker in the South, is half the dish. It is savory, smoky and slightly sweet, and it is good enough to spoon over rice or mop up with cornbread.
Beans also hold well for a crowd. They sit on WARM for an hour or two with no loss, which makes them ideal for holiday meals when everything else needs the oven.
What goes into the pot
Green beans: Fresh beans give the best texture and flavor. Pick bright, firm ones that snap cleanly. Trim the ends and snap them in half for easy serving.
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon holds up and lends smoke. Cook it first so it renders and crisps, then use some in the pot and some on top.
Onion and garlic: They soften into the broth and add sweetness. Cook them briefly in the bacon fat to mellow the flavor.
Apple cider vinegar: A splash brightens the flavor and balances the sugar and fat.
Brown sugar: A tablespoon rounds out the vinegar and smoke. Do not add more, or the beans turn sweet.
Smoked paprika and red pepper flakes: A pinch of each adds warmth that echoes the ham or bacon. Use only a little, since the dish should taste smoky and savory, not hot.
Tips for tender, flavorful beans
Cook them long: The most common mistake is stopping too soon. Beans that are only crisp tender taste grassy. Give them the full six hours on LOW so they turn silky.
Season at the end: Bacon and broth both bring salt. Taste after cooking and add salt only as needed.
Save the bacon: Adding all the bacon at the start makes it soft and chewy. Hold half back and add it crisp on top.
Do not drown them: Beans release water as they cook. Use only the broth in the recipe, or the cooking liquid will taste thin and bland.
Swaps and variations
Use smoked turkey legs or a ham hock in place of bacon for a deeper flavor. Add a few small red potatoes for a one-pot side. For a vegetarian version, use olive oil, smoked paprika and vegetable broth. Frozen beans work too, with a shorter cook time of 4 to 5 hours on LOW.
Do not use canned beans here, since they will turn to mush long before the flavor develops.
For a Thanksgiving table, mix in a handful of sliced mushrooms or a spoonful of Dijon. Both work well with turkey and gravy.
What to serve with it
These are a natural for the holiday table with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and cornbread dressing. They also go with fried chicken, pork chops, meatloaf or barbecue, and the pot likker is wonderful with a warm biscuit.
Because they cook on their own in the cooker, green beans are the easiest holiday dish to prepare. You free up both the stove and the oven.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate in a covered container with the cooking liquid for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
Freeze for up to 3 months. They keep their flavor, although they will be a little softer after thawing.
Cool the beans quickly in shallow containers.
Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 7 hours
- Servings: 10 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by fresh green beans, slices thick-cut bacon, yellow onion, garlic
Tips for Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot
The beans will be soft and olive green on purpose. For a firmer bean, cook 3 hours on LOW. Frozen green beans work too, but skip thawing. Leftovers keep 4 days and taste better the next day. They reheat well on the stove.
Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot FAQ
How long does Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot take?
Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot takes 7 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot serve?
This recipe makes 10 servings.
What do I need to make Southern Style Green Beans in the Crockpot?
12 ingredients, led by fresh green beans, slices thick-cut bacon, yellow onion, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
