If you are like me, green beans are something that you know that you are supposed to eat, but frankly, I find them boring, almost tasteless and hard to eat unless I grill them!  Grilling changes everything.  It is so simple but the heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the green beans, making them taste more flavorful and giving them a crisp tender texture.  That combined with a little salt and the smoke of the grill makes them addictive and you don’t even need to add butter!

Grilling Method: Direct/ Medium Heat

1          pound fresh string beans, cleaned and trimmed
4          tablespoons olive oil
1          teaspoon Kosher salt (use salt according to taste)

Coat the string beans with olive oil by placing clean, dry beans in a re-closable plastic bag.  Pour in the oil and massage the beans. Sprinkle with salt and massage again. Leave the string beans in the bag until ready to cook. 

Place on the cooking grate crosswise so it won’t fall through. Grill for about 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally to expose all sides to the heat. If you are grilling green beans that are sold as French green beans or haricot verts, they are generally very small and may take even less time to cook. 

The green beans will begin to brown in spots (indicating that its natural sugars are caramelizing) but should not be allowed to char or they will dry out. 

Remove from grill and serve immediately or at room temperature.

Serves 4

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2020