Southern-Style Green Beans with Smoked Turkey
Serves 610 mins prep60 mins cook
Slow-simmered green beans with smoky, rich pot liquor—this is the dish Eric Benét came back for seconds of at my first paid gig. At my first paid catering gig in 2009, I was feeding 400 people at a festival in Kentucky. I was late, stressed, and certain I'd blown it. But when Eric Benét came back for a second helping of these green beans, I knew the food had saved me. These beans are simple, but that smoky pot liquor makes them unforgettable.
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What you need
Instructions
1. Make the pot liquor: Place smoked turkey drum in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1½ hours to create a rich, smoky broth. 2. Remove turkey drum from pot. When cool enough to handle, pull meat from bone and set aside. Reserve the pot liquor. 3. Add green beans to the pot liquor along with chopped onion, minced garlic, garlic powder, seasoned salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. 4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. 5. Add butter and stir to incorporate. 6. Simmer uncovered for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and pot liquor has reduced and thickened slightly. 7. Optional: Add pulled turkey meat back to the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking. 8. Taste and adjust seasonings (you'll likely need to add more garlic powder, onion, salt, and pepper — trust your taste buds). 9. Serve hot with pot liquor spooned over the top. CHEF'S NOTES: - Fresh green beans are traditional, but I always use frozen—they work perfectly and save time. - The pot liquor is the magic. Don't skip the step of boiling the turkey first—that smoky broth is what makes these beans special. - Taste as you go! I always end up adding more garlic powder, onion, and seasoning than the recipe calls for. Your taste buds are your best guide. - These beans are even better the next day after the flavors have had time to marry. - Serves 10-12 as a side dish. THE SECRET: POT LIQUOR If you've never had pot liquor, you're missing out. It's the smoky, rich broth left after simmering smoked meat with greens or beans—liquid gold in Southern cooking. When you boil that turkey drum for 1½ hours, all the smoky flavor seeps into the water. THAT becomes your cooking liquid. The beans absorb that flavor as they simmer. Don't discard the pot liquor—spoon it over the beans when serving. It's the soul of this dish.