Country – Style String Beans Recipe

Trim and blanch

Trim the stem ends from the green beans and remove any stringy fibers. Rinse under cold water. Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the beans and blanch for 3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Immediately transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water (use the 2 cups ice cubes) to stop cooking for about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and has rendered its fat, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer about 1 tablespoon of cooked bacon pieces to a small bowl for garnish if desired, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the chopped onion to the hot bacon fat. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Stir occasionally to pick up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar, cooking 1 minute to bloom the flavors. Pour in the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Add the hot sauce (if using), kosher salt and black pepper and stir to combine.

Add the blanched and drained green beans to the skillet, stirring to coat them in the braising liquid. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on low for 12–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beans are tender and have absorbed the flavors. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add up to 1/4 cup additional broth or water.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a splash more vinegar or sugar to balance acidity and sweetness.

Remove the lid and increase heat to medium for 1–2 minutes to reduce and slightly thicken the sauce if needed. Stir in the butter until melted to give a glossy finish.

Fold in the reserved bacon pieces. Transfer the country-style string beans to a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley if using. Serve warm.