Southern Ham, Green Beans & Potatoes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

The Pot:

1½ lbs ham, cubed - Leftover ham, ham steak, or a ham hock + 1 cup diced ham.

2 lbs fresh green beans - Trimmed and snapped in half. Frozen work in a pinch but fresh = better texture

1½ lbs yellow potatoes - Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut in 1½-inch chunks.

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced - Optional but good

6 cups water or chicken broth - Broth = more flavor. Water + ham bone = traditional

2 tbsp bacon grease or butter - For sautéing. Bacon grease is old-school

1 tsp salt - Go easy. Ham is salty

1 tsp black pepper - Be generous.

½ tsp red pepper flakes - Optional, for a little heat

1 bay leaf - Optional but adds depth

Instructions:

Step 1: Build flavor :

Sauté onion: In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt bacon grease over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 4 min until soft. Add garlic, cook 30 sec. This is your flavor base.

Add ham: Toss in cubed ham. If using a ham bone/hock, add it now too. Cook 3-4 min to brown the edges and render some fat. That brown fond on the bottom = flavor.

Step 2: Add veggies + liquid :Layer it: Add potatoes first, then green beans on top. Potatoes take longer, so they go on bottom near the heat.

Pour liquid: Add water or broth to just barely cover everything. You want them simmering, not boiling to death. Add bay leaf, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Step 3: Simmer :

Bring to boil: Then reduce to a low simmer. Don’t do a rolling boil or green beans turn to mush.

Cover partially: Lid cracked so steam escapes and broth reduces into “pot liquor.”

Cook time: 45 min for crisp-tender beans and fork-tender potatoes. 60 min for soft Southern-style beans like in the pic. Stir once or twice gently so you don’t break up the potatoes.

Check: Potatoes should be tender, beans should be soft but not disintegrated, ham should be falling apart. Taste broth — add salt only if needed. Ham + broth are salty already.

Step 4: Finish + Serve:

Remove bay leaf and ham bone if you used one. Shred any meat off the bone and return to pot.

Rest: Let it sit 5 min off heat. The broth thickens slightly.

Serve: Ladle into bowls with plenty of pot liquor. Must be served with cornbread to sop up that broth.

Tips:

Fresh green beans: Those are whole, bright green beans in your pot. Trim ends and snap in half. Don’t use canned — they’ll turn to mush.

Yellow potatoes: Yukon Golds hold shape and have buttery flavor like yours. Russets fall apart.

Don’t overwater: Just barely cover. Too much water = bland, watery broth. You want rich pot liquor .

Pepper heavy: You can see the black pepper in the broth. Don’t be shy. 1 tsp minimum.

Ham bone if you got it: Even if using cubed ham, a ham bone or ham hock simmered in there makes the broth next-level. Remove before serving.

Simmer, don’t boil: Gentle bubbles. Hard boil = broken potatoes + gray beans.

Why This Works:

One pot: Meat, starch, veg all together. Farm cooking 101.

Pot liquor: The broth is the star. Salty, smoky, peppery from the ham. Cornbread duty.

Cooked down: Southern green beans aren’t bright green and crisp. They’re soft and have absorbed ham flavor .

Variations:

No ham: Use 6 slices bacon, chopped. Cook first, remove, then add back at end.

Or smoked turkey leg for healthier.

Add cabbage: ½ head chopped cabbage added last 20 min. Classic extension.

New potatoes: If using tiny new potatoes, leave them whole and cook 35 min.

Instant Pot: Sauté onion/ham, add everything, high pressure 6 min, quick release.

Storage:

Fridge: 4-5 days. Tastes better day 2.

Freezer: 3 months, though potatoes get a little grainy. Still good.

Reheat: Gentle on stovetop with splash of broth. Microwave works but stovetop keeps texture.