Sweet and Sour Green Beans with Bacon
Description
These quick and easy, sweet and sour green beans receive a smoky flavor from bacon and liquid smoke for an easy and crowd-pleasing side dish.
Ingredients
•
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed, or more to taste
•
1 tablespoon water, or as needed
•
1 teaspoon peanut oil
•
1 cup chopped onion
•
6 slices bacon, or more to taste
•
3/4 cup brown sugar
•
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
•
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
•
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
1
Place green beans in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to make a layer in the bottom; heat in microwave until green beans are tender yet firm to the bite, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain.
2
Heat peanut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl and discard any remaining oil.
3
Place the bacon in the wok or skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve 4 to 5 tablespoons bacon drippings in the wok.
4
Mix onion, brown sugar, vinegar, and liquid smoke in the reserved bacon drippings; cook and stir until sauce is bubbling and brown sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add green beans to sauce and stir to coat; cook until green beans are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
5
Transfer green bean mixture to a microwave-safe casserole dish; season with black pepper. Serve immediately or warm in the microwave, if needed.