Green bean casserole too watery

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QSis

Washing Up
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
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Okay, now my grandmother, who hated to cook, made this dish when I was a kid and we loved it. Popular 60's casserole. Only 4 ingredients and the recipe is on the back of the can of the fried onion rings, and all over the internet.

I made it last week with two cans of drained french style green beans, a can of mushroom soup, 3/4 of a can of 1% milk. And baked. And it was all loose-liquidy, milky. Not the thick gloopy casserole that Nan made.

How could I have messed this up? I feel like a newbie cook asking about this. I want to get back up on that horse and make it tomorrow.

What do you think? Less milk?

Lee
 
No milk, I think. Or as you say, a lot less. I don't think I've ever put milk in it when I made it eons ago. But one addition might be good--a little sour cream.
 
You may also try simmering beans in water with onion and garlic...drain beans...reserve 1 soup can of bean juice for the liquid..no milk..use plenty of the ff onions....

Variation #874,781
 
Although I know the original recipe calls for canned green beans, I can't STAND canned green beans. In fact, except for dried-type beans (like kidney, etc.) & corn, I really don't like any canned vegetables. Much prefer fresh or frozen.

I find this casserole MUCH better & definitely not watery at all when I make it using thawed/drained frozen green beans. In fact, the recipe on the back of the french-fried onion rings does give an equivalent for using frozen beans in the recipe. Give them a try next time. I buy the frozen whole baby green beans, but have used the regular cut ones as well. Both work just great.
 
BreezyCooking said:
Although I know the original recipe calls for canned green beans, I can't STAND canned green beans. In fact, except for dried-type beans (like kidney, etc.) & corn, I really don't like any canned vegetables. Much prefer fresh or frozen.

I find this casserole MUCH better & definitely not watery at all when I make it using thawed/drained frozen green beans. In fact, the recipe on the back of the french-fried onion rings does give an equivalent for using frozen beans in the recipe. Give them a try next time. I buy the frozen whole baby green beans, but have used the regular cut ones as well. Both work just great.

Frozen French-style green beans are even better.
 
My daughter requests this every Thanksgiving or Christmas. And she only likes it with canned green beans. I've tried to sub fresh and frozen without letting her know - each time she noticed and said something. I use 1/2 cup !% milk, a dash of soy sauce and I think it's 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar. I've never thought it was too watery.
 
Personally, I don't care for frozen green beans, and when it comes to Green Bean Casserole, I want only canned ones, preferably French style. Don't care for cheese in it...just the soup (no milk), green beans and fried onion rings.

"If somethin' ain't broke, don't fix it."
 
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I don't know about the cheese part, but my youngest brother told me during the holidays that our mother used to make the casserole with a healthy addition of Cheese Whiz. I don't ever remember that. However, I left home at a quite young age and may not have had the casserole prepared that way. Personally, even though I am a bit of a cheeseaholic, I would leave the cheese out. As Constance said, "If it ain't broke. Don't fix it."

Or, perhaps, "If it ain't broke. Don't break it.":)
 
Constance said:
Personally, I don't care for frozen green beans, and when it comes toand Green Bean Casserole, I want only canned ones, preferably French style. Don't care for cheese in it...just the soup (no milk), green beans and fried onion rings.

"If somethin' ain't broke, don't fix it."

Well, geez, Constance, that may be the whole answer! NO milk!

Ha! :)

Lee
 
BreezyCooking said:
Although I know the original recipe calls for canned green beans, I can't STAND canned green beans. In fact, except for dried-type beans (like kidney, etc.) & corn, I really don't like any canned vegetables. Much prefer fresh or frozen.

I find this casserole MUCH better & definitely not watery at all when I make it using thawed/drained frozen green beans. In fact, the recipe on the back of the french-fried onion rings does give an equivalent for using frozen beans in the recipe. Give them a try next time. I buy the frozen whole baby green beans, but have used the regular cut ones as well. Both work just great.

I don't make this dish any more but I will recommend the frozen whole green beans at Costco--they are true tiny haricot verts and would be absolutely delicious in this.
The only canned green beans I use (if I can't find these frozen) are Italian pole beans. Cooked a bit long with some pork and onions, you have a fine southern "mess o' beans" .
 
QSis said:
Well, geez, Constance, that may be the whole answer! NO milk!

Ha! :)

Lee

Yep, that was it, Constance.

I used fresh beans which I had steamed a couple of days ago. Mixed them with the can of mushroom soup, NO MILK, covered with a can of fried onion rings and wa-la! Delicious, and the consistency that I remembered.

Thanks again!

Lee
 
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