Slow cooker green beans, ham and potatoes is an old-fashioned one-pot supper: a meaty ham shank simmered low and slow in chicken stock with small potatoes, onion and fresh green beans. The ham flavors the broth, the potatoes turn creamy and the beans stay tender with a little bite. It is a hearty Sunday dinner, and a good home for the ham bone after a holiday.
How to make slow cooker green beans, ham and potatoes: Put a ham shank in the slow cooker and set small potatoes around it. Add chopped onion and fresh green beans on top and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Pour in chicken stock to cover the ham and potatoes. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender, then pull the ham from the bone and serve.
Why You’ll Love It
- Ten minutes of work. Trim the beans, cut the onion and load the pot.
- A whole meal in one pot. Meat, potatoes and a green vegetable cook together.
- Nothing to stir. The lid stays on until it is time to check.
- Plain pantry seasoning. Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. The ham does the rest.
- It feeds eight. And the leftovers reheat well.
Ingredient Notes
Ham shank. One shank with plenty of meat on the bone. You can use 2 pounds of ham cut into 1-inch pieces instead. If the ham is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator first.
Red or yellow potatoes. Two pounds. Use small ones whole, or cut larger potatoes into 2- to 3-inch pieces.
Fresh green beans. Two pounds, rinsed and trimmed.
Yellow onion. One large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces.
Chicken stock. Four to 6 cups. The amount depends on the size and shape of your slow cooker.
Seasonings. One teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder and kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Ham is salty, so taste before adding more.
Ingredients
- 1 ham shank, with plenty of meat on the bone
- 2 pounds small red or yellow potatoes, or larger ones cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjusted to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusted to taste
- 4-6 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
How to Make Slow Cooker Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes
1. Load the slow cooker. Place the ham shank in the slow cooker and add the potatoes around it. Add the onion and green beans over the top. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
2. Add the stock. Pour in enough chicken stock to fully cover the ham and potatoes and almost cover the green beans. The green beans do not need to be submerged.
3. Cook until tender. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the green beans are tender-crisp.
4. Finish and serve. Remove the ham shank and pull the meat from the bone. Transfer the ham and vegetables to a serving dish and pour a little of the cooking juices over them. Serve warm.
When Do the Potatoes Go In?
At the very start, on the bottom, around the ham. Potatoes are the slowest thing in the pot, so they sit down in the hot stock for the whole cook. The green beans ride on top, where they steam more gently.
| Ingredient | Where it goes | How to tell it is done |
|---|---|---|
| Ham shank | Bottom, in the center | The meat pulls easily from the bone |
| Potatoes | Bottom, around the ham, covered by stock | A fork slides in easily |
| Onion | Over the ham and potatoes | Soft |
| Green beans | On top, almost covered by stock | Tender with a little bite left |
The 4 to 6 hours is a range, not a target. Start checking the potatoes at the early end. When they are fork-tender and the beans are tender-crisp, the dish is ready, even if the clock says there is time left. Cooking past that point is how green beans turn mushy.
Potato size matters as well. Pieces that are too big can still be firm when everything else is done, so keep them small or cut them down to 2 to 3 inches.
Tips for Success
How much stock do I need?
Enough to cover the ham and potatoes completely and come almost to the top of the beans. That is usually 4 to 6 cups. Add more if your slow cooker is wide.
Should I lift the lid to stir?
No. Keep the lid on except when you are checking for doneness. Each time it comes off, heat escapes.
Can I put a frozen ham shank in the slow cooker?
No. Thaw meat in the refrigerator before it goes into a slow cooker.
Is my ham already cooked?
Check the label. USDA FSIS gives 145°F with a 3-minute rest for uncooked ham. Use a food thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone.
When should I add more salt?
At the end. Taste the broth after the ham has cooked in it, then adjust the salt and pepper.
How Long Does It Take?
Plan on 10 minutes of prep and 4 to 6 hours on LOW. Put it on after lunch and it is ready for supper.
Variations
- Cubed ham. Replace the shank with 2 pounds of ham cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Red or yellow potatoes. Either kind works, as long as the pieces are small.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven until the food reaches 165°F. Do not reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
This is a full meal with a piece of cornbread or a roll to soak up the broth. For more slow cooker comfort food, try crock pot ham and beans or slow cooker 15 bean soup. If green beans are your favorite side, make smothered green beans or Texas Roadhouse copycat green beans. And for potato sides from the same pot, there are 3-ingredient slow cooker potatoes and slow cooker glazed herb baby potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I add potatoes to my slow cooker?
At the start. Set them around the ham at the bottom, where the stock covers them, and cook until fork-tender.
Can you do green beans in a slow cooker?
Yes. Fresh green beans go on top of the potatoes and cook on LOW until tender-crisp. Stop before they go soft.
Can you freeze green beans that have already been cooked?
Yes. Cooked leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator.
Can I use diced ham?
Yes. Use 2 pounds of ham cut into 1-inch pieces in place of the shank.
Final Notes
I save a ladle of the broth for each bowl, because that is where the ham flavor ends up. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Slow Cooker Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 ham shank with plenty of meat on the bone
- 2 pounds red or yellow potatoes small, or cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion large, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 pounds fresh green beans rinsed and trimmed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, adjust to taste
- 4-6 cups chicken stock plus more as needed to cover the ham and potatoes
Instructions
- Place the ham shank in the slow cooker and add the potatoes around it. Add the onion and green beans over the top. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour in enough chicken stock to fully cover the ham and potatoes and almost cover the green beans. The green beans do not need to be submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the green beans are tender-crisp.
- Remove the ham shank and pull the meat from the bone. Transfer the ham and vegetables to a serving dish and pour a little of the cooking juices over them. Serve warm.
