Street
poke 'n' beans
What does poke 'n' beans mean?
How Memphis actually says 'pork and beans.' The 'r' gets eaten, the vowels round off, and you end up with poke 'n' beans — the cheap canned side that fed half the South growing up. Heard at cookouts, on porches, and in old-school Memphis rap.
"Granny brought a pan of ribs and a pot of poke 'n' beans."
Origin
Mid-South dialect simplification of 'pork and beans,' same vowel-and-consonant softening that gives 'co-cola.' Standard pronunciation across working-class Memphis.
Frequently asked questions
What does poke 'n' beans mean?
Poke 'n' beans is the Memphis pronunciation of "pork and beans."
How do you use poke 'n' beans in a sentence?
"Grandma's heating up a pot of poke 'n' beans to go with the cornbread."
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