Southern Green Beans Recipe

a white serving bowl holds old fashioned green beans with ham hocks with wood serving spoons

4.57 from 130 votes

This southern green beans recipe has been in my family for generations. Tender green beans slow cooked in a flavorful broth with smoked meat is a classic southern side dish that is perfect to accompany your holiday meals this year.

Prep Time5

Cook Time6

Total Time6 5

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: African American

Servings: servings

Calories: 41kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

Crock-Pot Cook & Carry 6-Quart Oval Portable Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh green beans
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ yellow onion small dice
½ tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

Rinse, dry, and snap the ends off your fresh green beans, discarding any green beans that are limp, brown, or otherwise not fresh.
Set your slow cooker to low (8+ hours) or high (6-8 hours) and toss in the ham hocks, chicken stock, snapped green beans, garlic powder, onion, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and red vinegar. Stir well.
Secure the top of the slow cooker and let the green beans cook until the ham hocks are fork tender and can fall apart.
After the time is done, serve hot. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Notes

Make Green Beans Ahead

Preparing your green beans before a big feast like Thanksgiving is a breeze. These green beans stay in your fridge for up to 7 days when stored correctly in an airtight container inside your fridge (not the door). Keep the beans and meat in the potlikker when storing, it keeps them from drying out.

To reheat for serving, you can nuke it in the microwave for a few minutes until everything is heated through. You can also put all of it into a large saucepan or small Dutch oven and heat over medium-low until hot.

Pro Tips

Use fresh green beans - do not use frozen green beans or canned green beans. Canned green beans are soft already and frozen green beans' texture is compromised from being frozen. Fresh is best!
Can't find ham hock? Salt pork or smoked turkey wings work, too!
Don't eat pork? - Smoked turkey necks and turkey bacon have been a widely used pork substitute for collard greens and green beans. They still give a delicious smoky, meaty flavor and are a big part of southern cooking.
Snap your green beans instead of cutting them - Bending the stems and snapping them in half lets you assess their freshness and quality. It's not just a lovely tradition but ensures each bean is firm, bright green, and critter-free, guaranteeing the most tender green beans for your meal.

Nutrition