Slow Cooker Ranch Green Beans with Bacon

Name: Slow Cooker Ranch Green Beans with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) fresh green beans, rinsed, stem ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; 6 slices (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 tbsp (18 g) dry ranch seasoning mix; ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender green beans slow-cooked in garlicky ranch butter and topped with crisp bacon. It's an easy hands-off side for holidays and potlucks that frees up your oven and stovetop.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 4 hr
Total: 4 hr 15 min
Makes: About 6 cups (8 side servings)

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Steps

Before you start

Use fresh green beans, not canned. Canned beans turn mushy over hours of cooking. Frozen beans work too (see substitutions).
Cooking time: 4 hours on LOW, or 2 to 2½ hours on HIGH. Slow cookers vary, so check the beans at the earliest time.
Cook the bacon just before serving, or earlier in the day, so it stays crisp and is not added to the cooker until the end.

1
Prep the beans
- Rinse the green beans, snap or trim off the stem ends, and cut the beans into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
- Place them in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
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Ready when: Beans are uniform in size so they cook evenly.
Tip: Pat the beans fairly dry so the sauce isn't diluted.
2
Cook the bacon
- Place the chopped bacon in a cold 12-inch (30 cm) skillet.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Leave the drippings in the pan for the next step.
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Ready when: Bacon pieces are deeply golden and crisp, with the fat rendered.
Tip: Starting in a cold pan renders the fat gently and prevents burning.
3
Soften the garlic
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the minced garlic, and stir for 30 seconds.
- Remove the pan from the heat right away.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and is pale, not browned.
Tip: Browned garlic turns bitter during the long cook, so pull the pan off the heat early.
4
Mix the ranch sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, ranch seasoning mix, and chicken broth.
- Scrape the garlic and drippings from the skillet into the bowl and stir.
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Ready when: Seasoning is fully dissolved with no dry lumps.
5
Combine in cooker
- Pour the sauce over the beans and toss with a spoon until every bean is coated.
- Add a few grinds of black pepper.
- Don't add salt yet, since the ranch mix and bacon are salty.
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Ready when: Beans look evenly glossy and speckled with seasoning.
6
Slow cook
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours.
- Stir once halfway through if you are nearby.
- Keep the lid on otherwise, since each peek adds about 20 minutes of cook time.
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Ready when: Beans are soft and olive-green, and a bean bends easily and is tender when bitten.
Tip: For beans with a little more bite, start checking at 3 hours on LOW.
7
Finish and serve
- Stir the beans gently, taste, and add pepper or a pinch of salt if needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, or serve straight from the cooker set to WARM.
- Top with the crisp bacon and parsley, if using, just before serving.
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Ready when: Bacon stays crisp on top and the beans are glossy with sauce.
Tip: Add the bacon at the last minute so it doesn't turn soft in the steam.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the beans into equal-size pieces so they all cook to the same tenderness.
Don't add extra liquid. The beans release moisture as they cook and will end up in a light sauce.
For a creamy version, stir in 2 oz (55 g) cubed cream cheese during the last 30 minutes.
Dry ranch mix varies in saltiness, so taste before adding any salt.

Make ahead

"Trim and cut the beans up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in a sealed bag. Cook the bacon up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; re-crisp in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before serving. The sauce can be mixed the day before and kept covered in the fridge."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours, or on WARM in the slow cooker for up to 2 hours. Fridge: store beans and bacon separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days; reheat in a covered pan over medium-low heat or microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring. Freezer: beans freeze for up to 2 months but soften further when thawed; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating."

Substitutions

fresh green beans → frozen cut green beans (2 lb / 900 g). Do not thaw. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours; they will be softer than fresh.
thick-cut bacon → turkey bacon or 1 tbsp olive oil plus 2 tbsp crispy fried onions. Turkey bacon is leaner, so use 1 tbsp butter instead of drippings to cook the garlic.
dry ranch seasoning mix → 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and ¾ tsp salt. A homemade blend; taste at the end and adjust the salt.
low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth or water. Use vegetable broth for a milder flavor; water gives a lighter result.