Topic: Drying runner beans

[Pescador]

I haven't been able to harvest my runners for 2 weeks now, and as you can imagine there are some very tough old boots there now. I don't just want to leave the old ones on the vine, as I still want it to carry on producing young beans.
If I harvest the old ones and pod the, what is the best way to dry them?
I was thinking a very low oven, say 50 C?

[kypfer]

My experience is that beans that aren't allowed to at least start to "look ripe" on the vine, that is start to go pale, simply don't dry properly at all. If I want dried beans, they're left on the plant until they're good and ready. If I wanted the plants to continue to produce fresh young pods, I'd sacrifice the existing crop to the "compost god" ... that's not to say I'm totally correct and you won't achieve anything, but personally I wouldn't hold out too much hope.

You could, of course, pick the existing pods, remove the beans from the pods and freeze them as a fresh vegetable, simply ignoring the pods, much as one does with broad beans.

[Digeroo]

I personally would dry them still in the pods, beans tend to rot if they are removed from the pods.  Stick them anywhere dry and spread them out well.   Or on a window sill or radiator.

[Pescador]

Thanks to both of you, you were correct,

The ones that I laboriously podded on Sunday from fresh but very tough beans do not look that good.
 The red ones aren't looking too bad but he white seeded ones are a wright-off.
I'll try drying some in the pod, but off the plant, and let you know!

[cornykev]

I leave them on the plant to save seed, if there's too many I'd throw them straight on the compost but loads still seem to grow even with loads left on.  ;D ;D ;D

[Pescador]

Maybe I haven't explained clearly Cornykev.
I want to dry the actual beans from within the pod; the pod becomes the surplus, the beans inside are the crop!

[aj]

I wouldn't use runners for dried beans to eat; far too tough.

If you want them for seed saving, then they really need to stay on the plant until the pods start to dry off. And then dry them somewhere warm, dry and dark.

[Digeroo]

I wouldn't use runners for dried beans to eat; far too tough.

Runner beans are fine if cooked well.  You soak overnight and drain and then cook in pressure cooker for 20 mins with various other ingredients.  Very nice in chili con carne. 

[kypfer]

I wouldn't use runners for dried beans to eat; far too tough

I beg to differ ... down here in Jersey there's a traditional pork & bean casserole (Jersey Bean Crock) which still features on my menu during the winter. It comprises a quantity of dried mixed beans, soaked overnight, then slow-cooked for several hours in a "crock" with belly-pork, onions and carrots. A pressure cooker will give a very similar result in far less time. My mum reckons she can tell the difference, (they didn't have pressure cookers in her day), but I can't, 'cept for not having to top up the water halfway through cooking.

Dried runner beans, along with butter beans, haricot beans, kidney beans, broad beans (and whatever else comes to hand) feature in the mix. There's probably a different combination of ingredients in virtually every "local" household, some use just butter beans (bland, to my taste), some leave out the pork (vegetarian option, not at all bad), and certainly when I've not had any runners in the mix the result hasn't been as tasty (a lack of broad beans has the same effect), but never, if cooked sufficiently, was any of it tough ... just make sure the duvet is well weighed down, else it's likely to blow off in the night  ::)

[Digeroo]

If you want to keep the duvet in place I would suggest you try Major Cook french beans.   Good taste as well.

I would expect a difference in taste between the pressure cooker and slow cooking, but with lots of herbs and spices I find the PC a good quick and tasty method.

[aj]

I wouldn't use runners for dried beans to eat; far too tough

I beg to differ ... down here in Jersey there's a traditional pork & bean casserole (Jersey Bean Crock) which still features on my menu during the winter. It comprises a quantity of dried mixed beans, soaked overnight, then slow-cooked for several hours in a "crock" with belly-pork, onions and carrots. A pressure cooker will give a very similar result in far less time. My mum reckons she can tell the difference, (they didn't have pressure cookers in her day), but I can't, 'cept for not having to top up the water halfway through cooking.

Dried runner beans, along with butter beans, haricot beans, kidney beans, broad beans (and whatever else comes to hand) feature in the mix. There's probably a different combination of ingredients in virtually every "local" household, some use just butter beans (bland, to my taste), some leave out the pork (vegetarian option, not at all bad), and certainly when I've not had any runners in the mix the result hasn't been as tasty (a lack of broad beans has the same effect), but never, if cooked sufficiently, was any of it tough ... just make sure the duvet is well weighed down, else it's likely to blow off in the night  ::)

Don't get me wrong; I grow lots of French beans for dried; but runners I find too tough. I've got about 45 different varieties all drying nicely at the moment.

[powerspade]

I always leave two plants run to seed to save, At the moment I have several pods looking very pale and dry on the vine, Hopefully I shall cut off the pods leaving some stem and allow them to dry out hanging up enclosed in a paper bag in the front room window When ready the pods will "pop" and the seed will drop into the bottom of the paper bag. After that happens I spread the seeds out to dry properly and store in a paper bag (the mushroom bags from Asdas are good ) in a cool place until ready to sow next year. I also save Dwarf Kidney Beans  the same way.

[:(]

I like dried runners in cooking too. They give a nice big meaty bean.

[cornykev]

Sorry, I thought you were saving the seed to plant next year.  :'( :'( :'(        ;)