# green beans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269 "2019-09-15T15:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/1 "2019-09-15T15:57:22Z")
Any ideas on how to cook fresh green beans like they serve in chinese buffets? Usually they seem to have a light oil and garlic on them but I need a step by step on how to do them. I end up over cooking and they are just not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/2 "2019-09-15T15:59:13Z")
Cook them with a little bacon grease. Yummy! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/3 "2019-09-15T16:12:54Z")
[This is pretty close to how I do them](https://www.theendlessmeal.com/sauteed-green-beans-with-garlic/). Key notes: use high heat, and add the garlic in near the end. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/4 "2019-09-15T16:29:48Z")
Steaming also works well, though I don’t know if it would work the same to just drizzle the oil on afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/5 "2019-09-15T17:45:03Z")
I do love oven-roasted green beans in a little oil, tossed every few minutes, garlic added near the end, of course. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/6 "2019-09-15T18:09:46Z")
My Chinese cookbook advises high heat in oil then adding chicken stock to finish cooking to desired doneness. I add garlic at the end too along with a little soy sauce and sesame oil. The ones I eat at the Chinese restaurant taste like they have some black bean paste added but I haven’t bothered at home myself. I don’t have enough use for a whole jar of it. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/7 "2019-09-15T18:10:16Z")
I’ve made them using a recipe from an out-of-print Szechuan cookbook - basically, you deep-fry them in the wok, a handful at a time. Sounds nasty, but if the oil temperature is right and you drain the beans well, it’s surprisingly non-greasy. Fry up a little garlic, salt and black bean paste to toss the beans in. Very tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/8 "2019-09-15T20:49:05Z")
Well, it isn’t Chinese restaurant green beans (which I’m not sure I’ve ever had) but this is my grandmother’s Southern Green Beans recipe. 1. Take a big pot, and chop up several slices of bacon. 2. Heat the bacon in the pot until it is done. 3. Add some onions… chopped. 4. Toss a pound or so of green beans in the pot and add some chicken stock. 5. Add some red pepper flakes…more is better than less. Also some salt and pepper. 6. Let it cook a good long time. That is pretty much what she told me and if you follow the directions exactly you will have some wonderful southern style green beans. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/9 "2019-09-15T20:54:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …just drizzle the oil on afterwards. Fried, steamed, baked, or whatever - sprinkle a little Chinese sesame oil over the completed dish before serving. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/10 "2019-09-15T21:01:47Z")
These ideas all sound fantastic. I’m a bit odd though. The only canned vegetable I like is green beans. I love canned green beans. I could eat them for a meal. In fact, we are doing steaks and baked potatoes tonight. I must look to see if I have a can of green beans. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/11 "2019-09-15T21:26:49Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > T In fact, we are doing steaks and baked potatoes tonight. I must look to see if I have a can of green beans. Nooooooo!!! ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/12 "2019-09-15T22:00:00Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I love canned green beans. Even frozen green beans are better than canned. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/13 "2019-09-15T23:36:25Z")
There are things that cry out for canned green beans. Macaroni and cheese. Tuna Noodle casserole. Anything kind of bland casserole, made with canned soup and topped with crumbs. Canned green beans are quite all right, on the side. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/14 "2019-09-16T00:09:42Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’ve made them using a recipe from an out-of-print Szechuan cookbook - basically, you deep-fry them in the wok, a handful at a time. Sounds nasty, but if the oil temperature is right and you drain the beans well, it’s surprisingly non-greasy. Fry up a little garlic, salt and black bean paste to toss the beans in. Very tasty. Yep, that’s pretty much the only way I _really_ enjoy green beans. [This recipe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c78AKzRREoI), in particular, but it does have a couple ingredients that may be a bit tricky to find if you don’t have an Asian grocery nearby. Still, you can take the basic techniques described within and adjust them to your tastes and ingredients you have available. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/15 "2019-09-16T02:44:36Z")
The main issue is that restaurant burners typically are hotter than the burners on home stoves. You need HIGH heat to get the same effect. My sister wok-fries fresh green beans with bits of bacon and soy sauce. Soooooo good. ---
**Author:** ![Flare4roach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7cd45c/32.png) [@Flare4roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flare4roach)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/16 "2019-09-16T03:12:32Z")
I like to cut up some mushrooms, green/red/yellow peppers and mix it up with a can of Mexican corn and grill those together until it sweats a bit. I will use various spices for flavor. I’ll set that aside and wait for my freshly cut greenbeans to steam. Once they are done, I mix it all up and bam! Talk about flavor town. It’s nice too if you have extra because they do well as leftovers in the microwave with a little butter. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/17 "2019-09-16T11:22:18Z")
My granddaughter loves green beans, and my current favorite way to make them is to start by sautéing onions in a little butter, adding sliced mushrooms, then dumping in the fresh (or frozen) green beans. As the liquid cooks out of the mushrooms, I’ll add some oyster sauce and a splash or 3 of soy sauce, mix it all up, and cook till it’s all done. YUM! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/18 "2019-09-16T12:31:08Z")
Toss the fresh green beans in a tiny bit of sesame oil, then air fry. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/19 "2019-09-16T12:52:22Z")
Thanks for the idea and recipes! My husband doesnt like fresh green beans only canned! weirdo. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269/20 "2019-09-18T04:15:19Z")
> **[Easy Gan Bian Si Ji Dou (Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans) Recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/sichuan-dry-fried-green-bean-broiled-food-lab-recipe)** > > Gan bian si ji—Sichuan-style dry-fried green beans with chilies and pickles—are one of the best and most mistranslated vegetable dishes in the world. Today that dish and I are on a road trip and we're going to be driving that minibus over some... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-beans/840269.md?page=2)