southern green beans with ham

Name: Southern Green Beans with Ham
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 2 pound(s) fresh green beans, cleaned with ends off. (can substitue frozen cut green beans.); 1 large onion, chopped; 2 tablespoon(s) liquified ham fat or bacon grease; 2 cups - chopped leftover ham; 1 cup(s) water or broth from simmering a ham bone; *** - salt and pepper to taste

69 Pinches 6 Photos

Betsy Wolfe

Ft Worth, TX

Updated on Nov 19, 2025

A staple in my home. I tried to make a green bean casserole at Thanksgiving this year and was read the riot act by the boys and told to make this instead. Can be a side or meal of its own when served with potatoes.

Rate

prep time 10 Min

cook time 30 Min

method Stove Top

yield 8 serving(s)

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans, cleaned with ends off. (can substitue frozen cut green beans.)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons liquified ham fat or bacon grease
2 cups - chopped leftover ham
1 cup water or broth from simmering a ham bone
*** - salt and pepper to taste

How To Make southern green beans with ham

Step 1

Place a large Dutch oven on the stove at med-hi heat. Add the bacon fat. Add the green beans and onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, constantly stirring to coat the beans. They will turn a brighter green in the fat.

Step 2

Add the water or ham broth and ham pieces. Bring to boil then turn down to low and simmer until the beans are tender and the liquid is reduced. Approx 20 mins. If the water evaporates faster than the beans are cooking, adjust by adding water. If there is far too much liquid and the beans are cooking faster than it evaporates, do not cover. Final dish should still be moist but not have a lot of loose liquid. Salt and pepper to taste.
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Nutrition Facts

(per serving*)

calories: 159kcal, carbohydrates: 10g, cholesterol: 25mg, fat: 10g, fiber: 3g, protein: 10g, saturated fat: 4g, sodium: 622mg, sugar: 4g, unsaturated fat: 6g

*Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is estimated.

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