Ingredients

　　2 1/2—3 pounds string beans

　　4 slices thick bacon or 4 tablespoons bacon fat

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　1 small onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges

　　Salt and pepper

　　With a paring knife or peeler, trim the edges off the beans to remove the strings. Do not omit this step—you can do it while watching TV or chatting with a friend. Place the bacon in a heavy Dutch oven and cook over low heat to render some of the fat; do not brown. (If using bacon fat, just melt it.) Meanwhile, wash the beans. Then hold a handful at a time under vigorously running cold water and drop the wet beans directly into the Dutch oven. Sprinkle the beans with sugar; do not add water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook until the beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add a little more water if necessary. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, place the onions around the edge of the pot. When the beans are done, season to taste with salt and pepper. (Do not add salt at the beginning, or the beans may be too salty.)

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.