Topic: drying beans

[Mrs Ava]

Thinking a little ahead, if I wanted, how do I go about drying some of my beans?  I have masses of runners and frenchies still to come and was thinking, towards the end of the summer, when it looks like there is only another picking or so to go, if I just leave them on the plants to mature and dry in whats left of the summer, will they be okay to bung in a jar for winter stews?  I did this last year, but with a variety (can't remember what it was called) that was for drying.  Wondered if it was okay to use the runners etc. in the same way....?  Clear as mud huh!  ;D

[derbex]

Yes  ;D
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It is as clear as mud.
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And you can do this with runners, I did the year before last and it worked fine. I think I might have put them on a wire rack on the boiler until they seemed really dry.

Jeremy

Who forgot his camera last night when he watered the tomatillos.

[Sarah-b]

I did read somewhere about leaving the beans on the plants for as long as poss and then pulling up the whole plant and taking it into the garage (or similar) - will have a look in my books later to see if I can find it again.
Next year i really want to grow those red speckled beans that i have seen in the Organic seed catologue - they are specifically for drying. I have a lovely cookery book of Marcella Hazan's, and on the front cover she is podding these lovely speckled beans.
I think it would be marvelous to have a little jar of home grown dried beans in the cupboard in the middle of winter.

Sarah.

[derbex]

Sarah,

I grew those last year -and am growing more this year, Borlotti beans I think. They're very pretty for a while but you have to put up with them looking brown and dried out on the plant until they're ready. Maybe that's the origin of the garage thing?

I just shelled them and put them in a jar.

Other thing is they were more reliable for me than runners -I actually got some.

Jeremy

[Hels_Bels]

I've got borlottis in various stages of drying on the plants. It's amazing to watch them change colours isn't it? I don't have a garge or shed or anything, so do you think it's OK to leave them all on the plants until they look dry enough - I'd like to pull them all up together?

Thanks!!
HB

[Bannerdown]

You can save them and have the old regular charity raiser "Guess the number of beans in the bucket" at the Village Fete! Cheers Tony.

[derbex]

Hels-Bels,

that's just what I did -worked well.


Jeremy

[Hels_Bels]

Thanks Jeremy - it's always good to know what someone else did!

Will let you know how many I get

HB

[derbex]

Well, that was the downside, less than a jamjar -but I'm growing more this year.

Jeremy

[Sarah-b]

I really want to grow them next year.
Jeremy - how many seeds did you plant - a whole packet?

Less than a jam jar seems a bit minimal...

Sarah

[derbex]

Sarah -no I planted way too few, probably 6 or 8 in total.I've planted more this year, assuming I get the allotment sorted I'll plant even more this year. I'll probably try planting the dried ones and seeing what comes up.

Jeremy

[Sarah-b]

Do you mean you are going to plant some more this year? Is there still time?
Which variety do you have?
Not that I think I have time or space to start any now.
I put some peas in really late and they are just starting to flower at around 4 inches high (don't think that's right is it?).

Sarah.

[derbex]

whoops, no I meant next year -mine went in late enough as it was.
 ???