You know how you go to the Chinese buffet and they have those smoky, wokfried green beans? My memories of munching on those things as a kid are what inspired this recipe.
A hot grill turns some boring-ass green beans into something extremely savory and slightly smoky, with a lightly crispy skin. These beans make for a great side dish with any meat cooked with fire, but they’re delicious enough on their own for snacking, especially when sprinkled with some of my Memphis-Style Seasoning for an extra hint of sweetness and heat.
A lot of grilled green bean recipes will have you blanch the beans first. You can do this, sure, but who wants to go inside to blanch something when you’re cooking over a fire? Throwing them directly on a hot grill will cook and char them before they can dry out too much. You can make these beans ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to use them. (I like to cut them up, toss them with olive oil and lemon juice, and add them to salads.)
4 servings
- Prepare a hot grill (2 to 3 seconds using the Hand Test). Clean and oil the grill grates well.
- In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the oil and salt until coated. Transfer to a grill basket (or a wire rack set on top of the grill), piling them a few beans high so the ones on top will steam as the ones below char over the fire.
- Toss the beans every couple of minutes, just until they’re tender and slightly charred, about 10 minutes total.
- Return the beans to the bowl, add the Memphis-Style Seasoning and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month
