This recipe was featured on our social media series "Flavors of the Mountain Past" and comes from the book Potlikker, Pones and Potables, sold right in our gift shop!
Green beans are a Southern cuisine staple, but have you ever heard of leather britches, or shuck beans? Before winter came, Appalachians would preserve green beans by stringing them on threads and hanging them outside or behind a wooden stove until they shriveled, appearing like leather britches. They could be stored on the strings or in a flour sack in a dry area until needed. They would typically be rehydrated and slow cooked with meat for a rich, hearty meal, like the recipe here.
