Cook Experts - Quick Question About Crock Pot/soggy Green Beans

Updated on November 23, 2011
J.✰. asks from Spring Branch, TX
6 answers

So for Thankgsiving, I was hoping to get away from the green bean casserole (I hate having to reserve the oven at my aunt's house). So I found a recipe online frommy favorite steak restaurant (Texas Roadhouse). See recipe below.

•2 (16 ounce) cans of green beans, drained
•2 cups water
•1 TBSP sugar
•1/2 tsp pepper
•4 ounces bacon, diced and raw (I used about 5 strips)
•4 ounces onion
Directions:
•Drain green beans and set aside.
•Mix water, sugar and pepper until well incorporated. Set aside.
•Preheat your cooking pan to medium high heat.
•Dice the raw bacon into equal size pieces and throw them in your pan. Continually stir to keep baking from burning.
•Once bacon is cooked, add the onions and cook until they are tender.
•Now that the onions are tender, add the liquid mixture.
•Stir the mixture until incorporated. Bring mixture to a boil and then return the heat to simmer. Simmer until ready to serve.

My question: If I make it the day before, or even that morning, can I put it in the crock pot on 'warm' or 'low' for an hour or two while all the other food cooks and while other people arrive? What steps would you do to prevent soggy green beans and the best flavor/texture? I DO have a little time in the morning to make it, but would prefer to do it Wed night if possible. It's an hour drive to my aunts, so I'd prefer to take it to her house cold, then turn it on when we get there 10ish and ready to eat 12ish. Will that work?

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So What Happened?

Well what I did was wait till TG morning. I cooked the bacon till nice and crispy, took the bacon out of the pan, but left the fat/grease in the pan, put in theonion and cooked the onion in the bacon drippings. I then added the water/pepper/sugar mixture in with the onions, then tossed in my green beans. I kept the bacon out of the whole thing until time to serve (we like our bacon more crispy/firm than soggy). So I left all items warm/room temp, then drove 1.5 hours to my aunts house. We ran late, so by the time I got to my aunts house, I had to throw the whole crock pot in the microwave for 5-6 minutes, then put it in the crock-pot heater part on HIGH to keep it nice and hot.

Everyone loved it. Not soggy. I did 2/3 the amount of sugar (I tripled the batch, did 2 TBS instead of 3 TBS.) I couldn't tell there was sugar in it at all. If anything, I thought it was too peppery, but needed salt. But today, Black Friday, my 3.5 yr old is requesting green beans for lunch. So I guess it was a hit.

More Answers

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I suggest that you heat them up quickly in the microwave or on top of the stove. Letting them sit for an hour or two will make them soggy and reduce the sharpness of the flavors. Since they're already cooked, it won't take long for them to reheat.

This is a yummy recipe. My Mother and Aunts often cooked green beans in a similar manner.

my expertise is the result of a home economics background.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

I always think canned green beans are the lowest beans on the totem pole. As in, they're always soggy, no matter what you do to them. I would use fresh or frozen in your recipe. I might have missed something, but your recipe doesn't seem to call for cooking the beans at all, just mixing them in the sauce? If that's the case, you can pre-make the sauce and cook the beans right before you go, or even when you're there if you have a chance at the stove (or even microwave). Beans sitting in sauce overnight will not be as crisp as ones tossed with sauce right before the meal.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I would warm it in an oven. At a low temp.
Less soggy that way.
Do not cover the dish, nor completely airtight if you do cover it ... or the build up of moisture may make it soggy, as well. As it warms.

In a crock pot, too much moisture may build up... thereby making it soggy.

Try using fresh green beans, instead????

Have your casserole, already in its own serving dish... which you can just pop in the oven, at your Aunt's house to warm up.
So, it has to be in a heat safe dish.
It you warm it up in a crock-pot... you'd have to take your dish out of its current dish, then scoop it out and into the crock-pot.... then scooping it back into your serving dish.
It will get messy and look messy, that way.

2 moms found this helpful
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G.G.

answers from Austin on

I think using the crock pot to reheat is a great idea and I don't think the beans will get soggy. They are canned beans and have been soaking in salt water for who knows how long. :) Just make sure you give them plenty of time to heat up (over an hour) because as you probably already know, crock pots do take some time to get going. One last thing, I would maybe incorporate the sugar slowly (maybe start with a tsp and then add, if needed). A tablespoon sounds like a lot of sugar. Good luck. I'm sure your beans will be great!

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

I can't figure out the use of sugar?

1 mom found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

Jess, this is the recipe I used last year (no red pepper) and I used 4 cans of green beans instead of frozen. They were not soggy at all and everyone LOVED them. Good luck!

Updated Green Bean Casserole
This classic side dish is updated in two ways. First, alfredo sauce is used instead of canned condensed soup, and the recipe is cooked in the crockpot. Easy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
• 28 oz. pkg. frozen cut green beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 16 oz. container Alfredo cheese sauce
• 2.5 oz. can french fried onions
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except half of the french fried onions in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Cover crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, stirring after 1 hour. Just before serving, heat remaining french fried onions in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir casserole and sprinkle with crisp hot onions. 10 1/2 cup servings

1 mom found this helpful
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