Country Green Beans Recipe

Prep the beans

Rinse the green beans, trim the stem ends and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Pat dry and set aside.

Render the bacon

Place a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned and crisp at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Remove about half the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and reserve for garnish, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. (If using ham hock, add it to the pot now so it can release flavor.)

Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until translucent and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.

Add the trimmed green beans to the pot and stir to coat in the fat and aromatics. Pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the salt, black pepper, and sugar.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are very tender and richly flavored, 25–35 minutes. Taste about halfway through and adjust seasoning as needed. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add up to 1/4 cup more water.

When the beans are tender, remove the ham hock if used. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and butter to brighten the flavor and add sheen. If you reserved bacon pieces, stir most of them back in, reserving some for garnish.

Simmer uncovered on low 3–5 minutes more to meld flavors and slightly thicken the cooking liquid. If you like a bit of heat, add the crushed red pepper flakes now and stir.

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle reserved bacon and chopped parsley over the top.