Bacon has always been a staple in my green beans but from now on I'll add Worcestershire and brown sugar. I highly recommend this recipe. I tripled the amount of green beans since it was for a picnic. However I only doubled the bacon and used only one onion for the whole dish (I thought this was plenty of both as I didn't want to overpower the beans). Increasing the water for more beans probably was not necessary as the time it takes to boil off 2 cups of water is about the right amount of time for the beans to get tender. Stirring often will ensure all the beans get their fair share of time in the water. I used a little over 3 cups but wish I hadn't because there was too much liquid left over and I ended up pouring some of that wonderful sauce down the drain. I was concerned about the amount of Worcestershire in the recipe but the brown sugar really toned it down and gave the dish a very good flavor. Just a hint of sweetness was a nice compliment to the saltiness of the bacon and the bite in the Worcestershire. The recipe was a hit - everyone wanted to know what that unique flavor was.
I made a few changes which made my family rave! Many mentioned that they thought it was bland and too soft and I think that is because some of us like green beans more crisp tender. If you use only 1 cup water only 3T. brown sugar and 1/4 c. worcestershire sauce it only takes 20- 30 minutes on medium heat (and partially covered) for the sauce to cook down. It was great!
First let me say that the flavor of this dish is MAGNIFICENT. But I had a few problems. I followed the recipe exactly and my liquid never evaporated. Next time I will only add one cup of water. Also I'm not crazy about soggy bacon. I will also remove the bacon after it crisps and put it back in at the end. The flavor should still be there if you saute the onion and garlic in the bacon grease. Maybe then I can give the recipe 5 stars because the flavor is definitely there.
I have made this dish so many times I could now do it with my eyes closed. My family and freinds love it. In an attempt to save money I use canned green beans (drained) and just let everything simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated. It is just as good as using fresh green beans and a heck of a lot easier.
I really enjoyed this recipe although I did make changes after reading several reviews: used 1 large onion 1 cup of chicken broth instead of water 3 tbsp brown sugar and 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce. I simmered on low for 30 minutes and they turned out just how I like them: not crunchy and not mushy. Delicious! This will now be a regular dinner side dish.
Loved it Loved it!!! I cut the recipe in half (didn't have that many fresh green beans). Fried the bacon crispy then removed it; then I finished following the recipe. I added the bacon about 2 minutes before serving just to have it "smothered" also. This is an excellent alternative to just plain green beans. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing:)
The worcestershire sauce is really good... but I like to subtitute marsala wine for the worcestershire sauce and make everythign else the same way and adding some sliced mushrooms.
I had high hopes for this recipe but I was very disappointed. The tastes just did not seem to mix as well as they could have.
This was a really good change from your average green bean dishes. The first time I made it using the brown sugar and it was perfect. Then I realized that by omitting the sugar and cutting down on the Worcestershire sauce this could be a very tasty low-carb dish. So that's how I make it now for my self. If I were to make it for anyone else or bring it to a potluck I would definitely bring the sugar back!
