Old-Fashioned Green Beans….enough said. This southern-style recipe was how I learned to make green beans in the old days before using bacon grease became so unpopular. It’s a tasty and delicious recipe that’s really easy to prepare.

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The key is to cook the beans just long enough so they are fork tender without overcooking them so the become mushy. Instead of throwing out the water you cook the beans in, it can be recycled and used as a base for soups. Store in the refrigerator a few days or freeze.

This is my mom’s recipe. If she didn’t have bacon on hand she would use lard to start the dish off. Beans need a lot of seasoning. They taste pretty bland with only salt and pepper. If you’re not going to season them so they are spicy this is a great alternative.

I’m not part of the food police that swear off bacon all the time. I don’t eat it very often, but when I do it’s a great seasoning tool for cornbread, biscuits, casseroles, soups, bread or even mac and cheese. I like it with eggs on occasion, too! 🙂 If you use gluten free bacon, this recipe is gluten free and fairly low in calories, too.

If you’re looking for an easy side dish for the holidays, regular family dinners, or to take along to any potluck, almost everyone enjoys Old-Fashioned Green Beans. If you can’t eat regular bacon then give these beans a try with turkey bacon, but you may have to add more seasoning to amp up the flavors a little. We love this old family recipe and believe you will too.

When I initially posted this in August 2012, my blog was two months old and I was using a poor quality iPhone 3 for a camera because that was all I had. I’ve been systematically going back through all my old recipes and remaking them with a better camera and lighting conditions so you can have a better appreciation for what each recipe is really supposed to look like.

I recently remade my Mom’s Old-Fashioned Green Beans (January 2015), and updated the pictures so they are clearer, less grainy, and lighter than the original pictures. This time I served these tasty green beans with Rotisserie Style Baked Chicken–a mouthwatering, succulent and delectable chicken recipe that will have you licking your fingers! Enjoy.

Old-Fashioned Green Beans are a wonderful  family recipe.

I made up a batch of Old-Fashioned Green Beans for my son’s birthday and served it with Montreal Seasoned Steak and Sweet Potato Fries.

When I remade Old-Fashioned Green Beans, I served it with Rotisserie Style Baked Chicken–an amazingly delectable chicken recipe we also love.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients. To keep this recipe gluten free you need to make sure you have a gluten free bacon.

Cut 3 or 4 slices of bacon into 1 inch pieces and place in the bottom of a Dutch oven to cook at medium heat. (Make sure you wash your bread board with hot, soapy water after using it with raw meat). Fry bacon about 5 minutes and turn over. Add diced onion and fry. I used about 2/3 of a medium to large onion.

Wash green beans and cut off tips. When onion is cooked and green beans are ready, add a tablespoon or two of minced garlic and cook only a minute or two. Add about 3 quarts of water. Add the green beans and boil about 30 minutes or until beans test done with a fork.

With a slotted spoon remove beans from pan and place in serving dish. Garnish with salt and pepper and butter, if desired. Green Beans are delectable prepared this old-fashioned way!

Old-Fashioned Green Beans are succulent and amazing.

While this dish is simple and easy to make for family dinners, it’s also great for holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Easter!

Here’s the recipe.

MOM’S OLD-FASHIONED GREEN BEANS

(Recipe from my mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)

Old-Fashioned Green Beans is a great side dish for any family dinner.

This simple recipe has always been a family favorite. It’s a great side dish for almost anything you make.

Bacon seasons Old-Fashioned Green Beans so wonderfully. It’s the perfect side dish for Rotisserie-Style Baked Chicken.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

Corn and Green Bean Casserole

Garlicky Green Beans and Mushrooms