Not a canning recipe
With Sharon Peterson
Green Beans with Bacon is not a canning recipe for processing green beans. Instead, it’s a scrumptious way to serve your home-canned green beans.’ Some people call them “country-style beans,” though this dish is found being served at Thanksgiving in homes from Alaska to Florida and all in between.
This simple recipe can be a hotly debated topic among certain circles on which way is the ‘right’ way to make country-style beans. Some people cook the bacon beforehand; others cook the bacon in the water with the beans. As if that wasn’t enough, there can be a debate on whether or not ‘proper country-style beans’ means adding grease or not. What I’m sharing here is how we make ours and it is delicious!
I know many would like to add bacon to the jar when they’re caning it. However, I can’t find where adding bacon has been tested and how to adapt the canning process. If you know of an extension site that has done this please let me know. But in the meantime…..
I’d recommend instead, that you just add the bacon later. There are several benefits to doing it this way:
- You don’t need to change the canning directions for your green beans from the standard.
- You aren’t sick of bacon-green beans within a couple months of canning them. (Trust me, it is easier to process them plain and change the flavor when you’re cooking the meal).
- It’s all about that safety! Bacon shouldn’t be canned in general. The fats and oils can keep jars from sealing properly and increases the risk of ‘false seals.’ Just to clarify this… there are some tested recipes that do include a tiny amount of bacon in the recipe. But not green beans.
Green Beans with Bacon
You’ll need just 2 ingredients for green beans with bacon: 1 quart home canned green beans and 2 or 3 slices bacon. This is so incredibly simple, I hesitate to call it a recipe.
This boiling step for the green beans is an added safety precaution. The necessity is sometimes debated. You can decide for yourself if it is necessary.
In another pan, fry that delicious bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Drain off some of the bacon grease, leaving a tablespoon or so (adjust to your preferences). Chop bacon into small pieces and return to the pan.
After the beans are ready, drain well and add them to the pan with bacon. Toss them to coat and serve!
What kind of Beans?
Note: Green Beans with Bacon can be made with canned, dehydrated, frozen, fresh, or store bought canned beans as well. Simply use an equivalent amount, cook as desired then add to the bacon.
If you want to use dehydrated green beans for this recipe simply rehydrate by placing beans in boiling water and allow to soak for several hours or until rehydrated. Then cook as you like.
Add your bacon. Yum! Takes a bit more time but it can be done! You can easily turn this into a casserole with just a few added ingredients, too.
