Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g green beans, ends trimmed
- 150 g bacon, thin-cut
Sweet & Savory Glaze
- 45 g unsalted butter, melted
- 40 g light brown sugar, packed
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 3 g garlic powder
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Blanching Water
- 2000 ml water
- 15 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 202 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 1302 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 33 mg
- Potassium
- 223 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 76 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 77 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 23 mcg
- Water
- 75 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the kosher salt. Prepare an ice bath in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Add the trimmed green beans to the boiling water and blanch for exactly 3 minutes until bright green but still crisp.
Immediately transfer the blanched beans to the ice bath using a slotted spoon. Let sit for 2 minutes to halt the cooking process, then drain well and pat completely dry with paper towels.
Divide the dried green beans into 6 equal bundles. Wrap one slice of bacon tightly around the center of each bundle, placing them seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, light brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat each bacon-wrapped bundle with the butter and brown sugar glaze, ensuring the bacon and exposed beans are lightly covered.
Roast in the preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the bacon is fully rendered, golden, and crispy. Pork must reach an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) for safety, though thin bacon will quickly exceed this.
Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes to allow the glaze to set. Serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Blanching the green beans before roasting is a non-negotiable step. It ensures the beans reach the perfect crisp-tender texture at the exact moment the bacon becomes crispy.
- Do not overlap the bacon too tightly around the beans. A single, slightly spaced spiral allows the oven heat to render the fat properly. Overlapped bacon will steam instead of roast.
- For an elevated flavor profile, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the glaze. The subtle heat cuts through the richness of the bacon fat and butter brilliantly.
- Handling raw pork requires care; wash hands and sanitize any surfaces the raw bacon touches to avoid cross-contamination.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 8-10 minutes until warmed through and bacon re-crisps.
Troubleshooting
Bacon is rubbery or undercooked while beans are getting mushy.
Cause: Thick-cut bacon was used, or beans were not properly dried before wrapping.
Fix: Turn on the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes to quickly crisp the bacon without drastically overcooking the interior beans.
Prevention: Always use standard or thin-cut bacon for bundles. Ensure beans are completely dried after the ice bath.
Glaze burned on the baking sheet.
Cause: Oven runs hot, or too much glaze pooled at the bottom of the bundles.
Fix: Carefully transfer the bundles to a clean serving platter, leaving the burnt sugar residue behind.
Prevention: Use parchment paper for insulation, and brush glaze evenly rather than pouring it over the bundles.
Cultural Context
Bacon-wrapped vegetables, particularly green beans and asparagus, are classic staples of mid-century American steakhouses and country club dining. Originally popularized as elegant finger foods or hors d'oeuvres during the 1950s and 60s, these bundles eventually transitioned into highly requested comforting side dishes for holidays and dinner parties, celebrating the quintessential American pairing of sweet glazes and smoky pork.
