Put some respect on Southern green beans, especially with the potatoes and smoked meat. I begged my Mississippi mama to make them every chance I could get. They hit real different. The key is to build a broth made of smoked turkey that infuses flavor into the string beans as they cook low and slow. They get tender then I added in potatoes for even more texture and veggies. This is the side that deserves a spot on every Sunday supper table ya dig.
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Green Beans Ingredient Notes
- Fresh String Beans: They will need to be properly washed, stemmed, and halved crosswise before use. Frozen green beans or canned can also work as a swap.
- Smoked Turkey Necks: You can also use smoked turkey wings, legs, ham hock or even bacon.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: You can also swap the powder and water for chicken stock or broth.
- Red Potatoes: Russet or Yukon gold works fine too.
How to Make Southern Green Beans
Step 1: Bring the water to a rolling boil then turn down to low boil, covering and letting that stock really develop for a couple of hours.
Step 2: Mix the onion, garlic, and bouillon powder into the pot. Carefully give the hot brothy mixture a taste and add seasoning salt if you think it needs it. Do you boos!
Step 3: Properly wash, stem, and halve crosswise the string beans. Then quarter the potatoes.
Step 4: Add the potatoes and string beans to the pot, cover it, and let it cook at a low boil again until the spuds are tender and the beans are soft. This can take about 45 minutes or more. Season with the ground pepper, give it another taste, and see what you think!
Step 5: Remove smoked necks from the pot and then pull apart the turkey meat.
Step 6: Add it back into the pot. Get rid of the bones and skin then it’s ready to serve up!
PRO TIP: Be very careful when pulling the meat apart! You’ll probably want to let it cool for a few minutes so you don’t get burned.
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Southern Green Beans Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups water or as needed
- 6 meaty smoked turkey necks or smoked ham hocks
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- seasoning salt
- 1 lb small to medium red potatoes quartered
- 2 lbs string beans stemmed and halved crosswise
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over high heat, combine the water and turkey necks and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat to a low boil, cover and cook for 2 hours.
- After the 2 hours, add more water if needed just to cover the necks, then add the onion, garlic and bouillion powder and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add seasoning salt if needed. The liquid should taste like an excellent, slightly salty broth.
- Add the potatoes and string beans, re-cover, and continue cooking at a low boil until the potatoes are quite tender and the beans are soft, about 45 minutes. Add the pepper and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Take off heat but leave covered.
- Pull the turkey necks from the broth and set them aside just until they are cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the necks, discarding the skin and bones, and add the meat back to the broth. If you are using ham hocks, you can simply break them up with a cooking spoon in the pot, or remove them, pull the meat, and add it back into the broth, discard the bones and skin.
- Serve the beans and potatoes in bowls along with some of the broth and meat.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Grab Fresh: Look for vibrant green ones that are firm, not wilted, and without discoloration.
- Taste and Adjust: The old schoolers always taste and enhance the flavors based on their preferences. Grab a spoon and taste that stock before you serve it up. Adjust as needed.
- Let it Rest: Giving this fresh green bean recipe time to chill out before you serve will allow those flavors to really come together even better.
- Save that Potlikker: Save any extra for adding to soups and stews. It is so bomb y’all!
Recipe Help
Yep for sure boos! Store these up in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days then gently reheat on the stovetop and serve em up!
Absolutely boos. Snap or trim the stem ends so you can get rid of the woody tough portions.
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I tried this green beans recipe recently, and it was an instant hit! The flavors were perfectly balanced—fresh, savory, and just the right amount of seasoning. They were so good that I’ve now been officially designated as the green bean person for all future gatherings. This recipe is simple, delicious, and a total crowd-pleaser. Highly recommend!
Thanks so much, doll!
Wow… just wow! I’ve always wanted to make green beans this way, and I was finally able to after finding this recipe. This was a hit! Perfect measurements for my taste and I will be making this again soon! Thank you SO much!
Awe, thanks boo!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It’s just like the green beans and potatoes my grandmother used to make–except she used a ham hock instead of smoked turkey. (Personally, I like the smoked turkey better–but don’t tell her I told you)
This is my favorite type of a side dish to go with potaotes. Love these so much!
Loved these beans! So rich and flavorful from the turkey.
These really are the MVP. It was the MVP of my Father’s Day meal. Everyone loved the turkey in this. Thank you!
These are great for a summer bbq. Love all the flavor it has. Thanks!
Hi
In recipe for southern green beans it has 8 quarts of water. Did you mean 8 cups?
Please respond ASAP. Thanks!
This is really a guide as you may need a bit less water depending on the size of the pot.
Can you use frozen green beans?
You can, I prefer fresh, but frozen is better than canned!