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Smoked Turkey Green Beans

Southern-style fresh green beans braised in a deeply seasoned smoked-turkey pot liquor, then finished with shredded smoked turkey, butter, vinegar, and a touch of liquid smoke. Reconstructed from Marcus Wilson's Facebook Reel and ingredient caption.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • dutch oven

Ingredients
  

Green Beans and Turkey

  • 2 lb fresh green beans trimmed; cut in half if long
  • 1 smoked turkey thigh or leg
  • 1 large onion sliced or chopped
  • 4-5 garlic cloves minced
  • 4-6 cups chicken stock divided, as needed
  • 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon base use to taste
  • 1 stick butter 1/2 cup
  • 1-2 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2-1 tsp liquid smoke start with 1/2 tsp and add to taste

Seasonings

  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste; use cautiously because turkey and bouillon are salty
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1-2 tsp Creole seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4-6 fresh thyme sprigs or about 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, black pepper, red pepper flakes, all-purpose seasoning, chicken bouillon base, and a conservative amount of salt. Stir briefly to bloom the seasonings.
  • Deglaze the pot with some of the chicken stock, scraping up the flavorful bits from the bottom.
  • Add the smoked turkey thigh or leg and enough additional chicken stock to mostly surround it. Add the fresh thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
  • Cover and braise in a 400°F oven until the turkey is tender enough to shred, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on size.
  • Remove the turkey from the Dutch oven. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Leave the braising liquid in the pot.
  • Return the pot liquor to a boil or strong simmer. Add the fresh green beans and cook until tender, about 25 to 35 minutes. These are intended to be soft, Southern-style green beans rather than crisp beans.
  • Return the shredded smoked turkey to the pot and stir through the beans. Taste and adjust the dry seasonings as needed.
  • Add the whole stick of butter, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke. Stir until the butter is completely melted into the pot liquor. Taste before adding more liquid smoke, vinegar, salt, or seasoning. Simmer a few minutes and serve hot.

Notes

The original creator listed ingredients but did not provide quantities. Measurements here are practical estimates based on the video and caption. The caption explicitly calls for a whole stick of butter. Start conservatively with liquid smoke because the smoked turkey already contributes substantial smoke flavor.
Keyword green beans, smoked turkey, Southern green beans, Thanksgiving
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