Bourbon Bacon Green Beans
Tender-crisp green beans tossed with crispy bacon and a sweet, smoky bourbon glaze, all made in one skillet.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed, 450 g
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup bourbon 60 ml
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 30 ml
- 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet and discard the rest.
- Add the chopped shallot to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the trimmed green beans to the skillet. Stir to coat them in the fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until they are bright green and tender-crisp.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the bourbon, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar.
- Pour the bourbon mixture over the green beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a light glaze that coats the beans.
- Turn off the heat. Stir the crispy bacon back into the green beans.
- Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve immediately.
Notes
For extra tender beans, you can blanch them first. Boil them in salted water for 2-3 minutes, then plunge into an ice bath before adding them to the skillet in step 4. Reduce sauté time to 3-4 minutes.
If the pan seems too dry when you add the green beans, you can add a tablespoon of olive oil or a splash of water.
Use any bourbon you enjoy drinking. The alcohol will cook off, but the oak and vanilla notes will remain.
This recipe contains bacon, a cured pork product. For general food safety with uncured pork, cook whole cuts to 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, and ground pork to 160°F (71°C).