SOUTHERN GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES

Southern green beans and potatoes are not the bright, snappy green beans you find on a crudité platter.

They are slow-simmered in a smoky broth until the beans turn soft, tender, and deeply flavored, and the potatoes melt into the liquid just enough to thicken it into something closer to a stew than a side dish.

The secret is smoked turkey necks, which simmer in water for a couple of hours before the beans even hit the pot, building a broth so rich and savory that it could stand on its own as soup.

The technique is simple but requires patience. You build the broth first, then add the vegetables and let them cook low and slow until they absorb every bit of that smoky flavor.

The result is a dish that tastes like it took all day, because in some ways it did, but most of that time is hands-off simmering while you tend to the rest of your meal.

The Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours broth simmering)
• Cook Time: 45 minutes (for the beans and potatoes)
• Total Time: About 3 hours (mostly hands-off)
• Servings: 8
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cuisine: Southern American / Soul Food
• Cooking Method: Stovetop simmering
• Best Occasion: Sunday supper, holidays, potlucks, family gatherings

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Water (6 to 8 cups, as needed): The base of your broth. You want enough to keep the turkey necks submerged during the long simmer. Add more as needed throughout the cooking process if the liquid reduces too much.

• Smoked Turkey Necks (6, meaty): This is the foundation of the entire recipe. Smoked turkey necks are inexpensive, packed with flavor, and they transform plain water into a rich, smoky broth after a couple of hours of simmering.

You can find them in most grocery stores, often near the smoked sausage or in the meat department. If you cannot find turkey necks, smoked turkey wings or legs work, or you can use smoked ham hocks for an even richer, porkier flavor.

• The USDA recommends cooking smoked poultry products to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F for safety.

• White Onion (1/2 cup), Finely Chopped: Adds sweetness and aromatic depth to the broth. The onion simmers until it nearly dissolves, so you are left with flavor rather than noticeable onion pieces.

• Garlic (1 tablespoon), Finely Chopped: A small amount that adds a savory backbone to the broth without overpowering the smoky flavor. Fresh garlic is essential here; garlic powder does not deliver the same result.

• Chicken Bouillon Powder (1 1/2 tablespoons): Concentrates the savory flavor of the broth. If you prefer, you can substitute chicken broth or stock for some of the water, but the powder is convenient and gives you control over the seasoning level.

• Red Potatoes (1 lb), Quartered: Red potatoes hold their shape well during long simmering, so you get distinct, tender chunks rather than disintegrating mush. Leave the skins on for texture and color. Yukon Gold potatoes are a fine substitute. If you use russet potatoes, peel them first because the skins tend to flake off during extended cooking.

• String Beans (2 lbs), Stemmed and Halved Crosswise: Fresh green beans are the traditional choice and give you the best texture and flavor. Wash them thoroughly, snap off the stem ends, and cut them in half. Frozen green beans work in a pinch, but they cook faster, so add them about 10 minutes after the potatoes. Canned green beans are too soft and will turn to mush.

• Ground Black Pepper (1 tablespoon): A generous amount that adds warmth and a subtle bite. The pepper flavor becomes part of the broth and seasons every bite. Adjust to your taste at the end.

Ingredient Swaps

• Ham hocks instead of turkey necks: Smoked ham hocks are the traditional alternative and give the broth a richer, porkier flavor. They are fattier than turkey necks, so you may want to skim some fat from the surface before adding the vegetables.
• Smoked turkey wings or legs: Easier to find in some areas than turkey necks. They produce a similar broth with slightly less meat. If using wings, use 2 to 3 large wings.
• Bacon instead of smoked meat: If you cannot find smoked turkey or ham, 6 to 8 slices of thick-cut bacon can add smoky flavor. Fry the bacon first, then simmer it in the water to build a broth, though it will not be as deeply smoky as turkey necks.
• Chicken broth instead of water and bouillon: Substitute 6 cups of chicken broth for the water and bouillon powder. This gives you a more complex, layered broth, but it does add cost.

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

While your finished dish may not look exactly like the images in this post, following these instructions will give you the same delicious SOUTHERN GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES. So please follow with me!

Step1: Build the broth first.

Place the smoked turkey necks in your large stockpot and add enough water to cover them, about 6 to 8 cups. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.

Once it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to maintain a low boil, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 2 hours. This is where all the flavor comes from, so do not rush it.

The meat will become tender, and the water will transform into a deeply smoky, savory broth. Check occasionally and add more water if the liquid drops below the level of the turkey necks.

Step 2: Add aromatics and seasoning.

After the 2-hour simmer, add the chopped onion, garlic, and chicken bouillon powder to the pot. Stir to combine. Now is a good time to taste the broth. It should be smoky, savory, and well-seasoned from the turkey.

If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, but go easy because the smoked meat and bouillon are already salty. The broth will concentrate slightly as the vegetables cook, so it is better to under-salt now and adjust at the end.

Step 3: Prepare the vegetables while you wait.

While the broth is simmering, wash the green beans, snap off the stem ends, and cut them in half crosswise.

Quarter the potatoes. If you are using russets, peel them first. Leave the skins on red or Yukon Gold potatoes. Set everything aside until the broth is ready.

Step 4: Add the vegetables.

After adding the aromatics and giving the broth a stir, add the quartered potatoes and the halved green beans to the pot. Press them down gently so they are submerged in the broth.

Cover the pot and let everything cook at a low boil until the potatoes are fork-tender and the green beans are soft all the way through, about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure everything cooks evenly.

The beans are done when they are completely tender with no snap left, and the potatoes are done when a fork slides through them without resistance.

If you are used to crisp-tender green beans, this will feel like a long time, but Southern green beans are meant to be soft and deeply flavored. For more Southern cooking inspiration, our chicken recipes pair beautifully with sides like this.

Step 5: Season with pepper.

Once the vegetables are tender, add the ground black pepper and stir to combine. Taste the broth one more time and adjust the seasoning if needed. You may want more pepper, a pinch of salt, or nothing at all. Trust your palate.

Step 6: Pull the meat.

Carefully remove the turkey necks from the pot with tongs and set them aside on a plate to cool for a few minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones with your fingers or a fork. Discard the skin and bones.

The meat will be very tender and should come away easily. Add the pulled meat back into the pot and stir to distribute it throughout the beans and potatoes.

Be careful when handling the hot turkey necks, as the meat and bones retain a lot of heat.

Serve.

Ladle the green beans, potatoes, pulled turkey meat, and plenty of that incredible broth into bowls. This dish is best served hot, with the broth spooned generously over the top.

When Things Go Sideways

The broth tastes bland.

You may not have simmered the turkey necks long enough, or the smoked meat was not as flavorful. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of bouillon powder and a pinch of salt. Simmer for another 15 minutes to let the seasoning distribute.

The green beans are still crunchy after 45 minutes.

Keep cooking them. Some green beans, especially older or larger ones, take longer to soften. Add a splash of water if the broth has reduced too much, cover the pot, and give them another 15 to 20 minutes.

The potatoes fell apart.

You used russet potatoes, which are starchier and break down more during long cooking. Next time, use red or Yukon Gold potatoes, which hold their shape better.

The dish is still delicious with broken-down potatoes; they just thicken the broth, which many people actually prefer.

The broth is too salty.

Add 2 cups of water, stir, and let it simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to dilute the salt. You can also add more green beans, which will absorb some of the salt.

Variations to Try

• New Potatoes and Ham Hocks: Use small whole new potatoes and smoked ham hocks instead of quartered red potatoes and turkey necks. The ham hocks create a richer, more traditional pork-based broth.

• Spicy Southern Green Beans: Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño to the broth when you add the onion and garlic. The heat builds slowly and adds a great dimension.

• Crockpot Method: Place the turkey necks, water, onion, garlic, and bouillon in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Add the green beans and potatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 hours on low until everything is tender. Pull the meat as directed and serve.

• One-Pot Meal Version: Add 2 cups of sliced smoked sausage or andouille to the pot along with the vegetables. The sausage adds even more smoky flavor and makes the dish hearty enough to serve as a main course. This pairs well with our smothered chicken if you want to build a full Southern dinner.