Now that summer is here, so many veggies are in season! One of my favorites is green beans and whenever I picture green beans in a meal, I always think of bacon.
Bacon just always takes things to the next level, am I right?!
You can use regular bacon, jowl bacon, bacon pieces or even ham pieces, all of which we offer from the farm. The bacon or ham pieces are the most economical, plus you don’t have to do as much chopping.
I wanted to share a recipe I’ve already made several times this year. It’s super simple and always turns out delicious! You can simmer on the stove or use an instant pot, which is what I did.
Confession: I had my instant pot for over a year before I got brave enough to put it to use. Now I regret not using it sooner!
PLUS, I use our chicken bone broth in this recipe, which makes it super rich and adds even more nutrients.
Southern Green Beans N’ Bacon
This recipe can be made in a pot on the stove or the instant pot and turns fresh from the farm or garden green beans into a smoky, tender side, yum!
Servings: 5
Prep/Cook time: 30-45 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 lb. chopped bacon (you can also do smoked jowl or ham pieces, both of which we also offer from the farm)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken bone broth
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lard
Step-by-Step:
Turn your instant pot to “saute” mode and once hot, add just enough lard to inside of pot to coat the bottom and add bacon pieces. Cook until bacon is crispy.
Add chopped onion and cook 1 more minute.
Press "cancel" and add chicken bone broth. Scrape up any browned bits of bacon from the bottom.
Add remaining ingredients. Place lid on instant pot and set to pressure cook, high pressure, for 7 minutes. Let pot do a natural release for 10 minutes. Then open valve to let out any remaining pressure. Remove the lid once the pin drops.
Serve with your favorite local meat & potatoes!
If cooking on the stove, simply cook the bacon in a large pot until crispy, add the onion and cook 1 additional minute. Add all other ingredients & bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally for 1-1.5 hours or until green beans are nice and tender.
What are your other favorite local veggies to cook with bacon? Or do you like preparing your green beans another way? Share with us in the comments below!