Runner Beans

my favourite way to prepare runner beans

Ingredients (serves four)

Preparation

Beans

Wash the runner beans. Take one end off ...

Beans

... and then the other.

Beans

Cut off the sides (where the stringy bits are). You can use a peeler for this.

Beans

Then cut them into 3mm slices.

Onion

Chop the onion - first into slices, then half the slices.

Onion

Then cut into 5mm strips.

Goose Fat

Put the goosefat into a saucepan (alternatively, use some olive oil).

Bacon

Cut the rasher of bacon into 5mm x 5mm bits.

Goose Fat

Heat the saucepan and fry the onions together with the bacon until the onions start changing colour.

Bacon

Now add the chopped beans. Add salt and pepper and the oregano. Careful with the salt as the bacon will already contain a fair amount.

Goose Fat

Stir, put the lid on and turn the heat low. The idea here is to cook the beans without adding water - there is enough moisture in them so they won't burn. The trick is not to lift the lid too often, nor to use too much heat - and to stir them once in a while. After 20 minutes, they will be done.

Bacon

The finished runnerbeans.

Best with ...

Roasts!

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Rating 8.9608695652173913/10 with 230 individual rating(s) given. Minimum rating 2, maximum rating 10

Comments:

10Brilliant idea, I do the bacon thing with frozen petit pois (which is brill with leaks instead of onions by the way) but never thought of doing it with runner beans - maybe I'll even get the other half and offspring to eat them next time! Just in the middle of following your gravy recipe for stock.... sounds yummy, will tell you tonight!
10Nice one , gonna put some in my curry now.
10great
9looks yummy, i'm gonna try it tonight
10love the pictures and explanation
10Have a job lot of beans to get through - thank you very much for this :)
9Very useful, although it would be a good idea to use proper measurements. In the UK we use the Imperial system (ounces, fractions of an inch etc).
10Just excellent - I love runner beans on their own, but this is a smashing variation.
10absolutely delicious, my boyfriend doesn't normally like runner beans but loved them :)
10Excellent - just tried a dish with my first ever crop of runners. Yum....Many thanks for the inspiration!
10very easy to understand-thx
10Yummy
8Good idea. I used olive oil, and left out the bacon and salt, but added two tablespoons of white wine, and served them with brown rice. David in Turkey.
9yum. very good. I used a little white wine to ensure nothing dried out.
10i am a new gardener and found this very helpful as i hadnt a clue what to do with my runners.
10only ever steamed them before but this sounds great. Will do it tonight with duck crown and carrots and creamed potatoes. Thank you
10thanks
10very helpful and tasty :) im growing my own runner beans and had no idea what to do with them so thanks for the recipe yum yum!! xx
10Friends gave me runner beans last year and I found your recipe online. It was a massive hit with everyone. This year I`m growing my own beans. Thank you so much for a great recipe
10never had this before. it has to be fantastic. will try tomorrow. looks a bit on the gray side but what the heck. You say it's good. It's good. mairead christine.
8It sounds very good i will get back to you when i try it on sunday
10I love it! Tastes good and easy to do, pics really help demonstrate how simple it is.
8runner beans were unknown to me. they are recommended on a particular diabetes diet so I am learning what they are & how to prepare them. thanks for the excellent looking recipe
3more righten less pics
10tickity boo
10My neighbour gave some but I am a single male and cannot deal with complicated menus. Your pictures, though, were so clear and the recipe so simple to follow that will try it out; thanks very much.
10People around here don't eat their runner beans--just plant them for the blossoms. So happy to find UK recipe w. such enticing pictures! Used 4 slices special smoked bacon and olive oil, and a tad of beef broth at the end. Such a wonderful change from regular green beans!
9good simple cooking .
10HAVE TRIED AND ITS VERT TASTY MMMM
10Well presented. Loved the photos. Didn't know what to do with runner beans as I have never cooked them but now I know. Thanks
8Loved the pics but a touch of bicarb keeps beans greener
10Looks lovely. Will try it out on my husband tomorrow!
10Yummy!!!
10I have a glut of beans, this will help me eat them all.
10fantastic and so quick and easy.
10Clear and concise, particularly helpful step-by-step photos.
10Fab recipe, can't wait to try it Sara from Gunnislake, Cornwall ,UK
10runner beans are so boring but this is a really good way to cook them - thanks
10I live in Uk from 10 month and I've always seen in the shop this kind of beans witout knowing how they couldi be coocked...and this is a good idea...I'll try today for lung with meat. Thanks. Ela
10Great!
10ha just the ticket ta!
10Very clear pics with good instructions. Thank u!
10Fantastic recipe, my family loved it. Thank You
9Tasty!
8looks fairly good, although the final photo good look better( greens look faded)-presentation is so important
10OMG! JUST THE RECIPE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY IS BRITISH AND HIS MOM ALWAYS MADE THESE RUNNER BEANS AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS AND THAT IS HOW SHE MADE THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH
10A brilliant and clear recipe. Especially liked the accompanying picture it made the preparation of beans very clear to me as a novice cook!
10very clear and helpful for new cooks
10very helpful.. and very nice.. many thanks
9By adding bacon, I may even get my daughter to eat them!