Smothered Green Beans with Potatoes-Cajun Style
Green Beans smothered slowly with bacon and onions, ham and South Louisiana seasonings. Amazing depth of South Louisiana flavor.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 8 cups fresh or frozen green beans - About 2 pounds (See Recipe Notes)
- 4 slices smoked bacon - chopped into 2“ pieces
- 2 tablespoons AP flour
- 3 cups yellow onion - coarse chop; 2 medium onions
- 2 tablespoons garlic - coarse chop or smash; 4-5 cloves
- ½ pound ham - cubed (See Recipe Notes)
- 3 cups chicken stock - (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 ½ cups white or red potatoes - cut into halves or quarters; 6 to 8 potatoes. (See Recipe Notes)
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
Here's What You Do
Prparation
- If using fresh beans, snip the stem end off the and cut into 1 to 1 ½” pieces. (See Recipe Notes)
- Slice the bacon into 1 to 2-inch pieces and cube the ham.
- Wash and peel (optional) the potatoes and cut into halves or quarters. Roughly chop the yellow onions and garlic. Measure the remaining ingredients.
To Cook the Green Beans
- Place the bacon in a cold Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy; about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the Dutch oven and set aside.
- Sear the ham in the bacon grease for about 3 to 4 minutes, until starting to brown. Remove the ham from the Dutch oven and set aside.
- Add the flour to the bacon grease and whisk until a light roux develops; about 5 minutes. (See Recipe Notes)
- Add the yellow onions to the roux and fry until the onions are starting to clear; about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Next add the aromatics-the garlic, Creole seasoning and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Deglaze the Dutch oven with about ½ cup of the stock, making sure to scrape and stir the fond into the roux mixture. (See Recipe Notes).
- Add the green beans and stir to coat the beans with the roux mixture. Cook the green beans, stirring occasionally until just starting to wilt, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ham back into the Dutch oven and mix well with the beans.
- Add enough stock to almost cover the beans. Stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to bring the stock to a boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time so it does not stick.
- After 30 minutes, mix in the potatoes and continue to simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cover and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
- Test the potatoes by probing with a wooden skewer or fork. They should be soft, but not falling apart. Taste the green beans, they should be soft and slightly overcooked. Adjust the seasonings by adding more Creole seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Break the bacon into smaller pieces and add back to the Dutch oven. Continue to simmer, uncovered for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened and reduced.
Notes
Check out my article Smothered Green Beans with Potatoes for step-by-step instructions with pictures, FAQs, and lots of tips.
Use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans; do not defrost frozen green beans. Drain canned beans, and decrease cooking time by 20 minutes for canned beans.
Smoked sausage, andouille sausage, pickled pork, or salt pork can be substituted for the ham.
I use red potatoes, but white potatoes, Yukon gold, or Russets will be fine. Peeling the potatoes is optional; cut into similar-size pieces.
This recipe does not make a thick roux.
Deglazing the Dutch oven increases the flavor by mixing the fond in with all the other ingredients.
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or frozen for up to 10 months in an airtight container. Reheat defrosted green beans in the microwave or saucepan on the stove.
Nutrition
Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
