Beans.....freezing....

[beanie3]

Hi!

I should really know thr answer to this.....but whats the best way to freeze your excess beans...... (runners/french and broad)

thrown them in the freezer
blanch them then they go in the freezer
cook them fully then they go in the freezer

sorry for the stupid question!!!!

[beanie3]

[betula]

There is a thread about this under Recipes ;D

[mergles]

Hi Beanie3


I just pick them small and tender then:

Broad beans:  de-pod, put in small tubs and freeze

Runners:     top and tail cut into 1cm lengths, put in small tubs and freeze

French:   freeze whole spread out flat on a tray, then put into tubs/bags.

Seems to work well for me  - am just coming to the end of last years and starting to pick new crop

[beanie3]

i couldnt find it - probably right in front of my face!!!!!

But i have posted the message again in recipe section as probably best suited there!!!!!

[beanie3]

Thanks mergles......i am gonna be busy this pm!

[lidd63]

I always blanch runners for three minutes then chill quickly under the cold tap before freezing.  Blanching is supposed to help retain the vitamin c and the colour.  Hope this helps. :)

[Duke Ellington]

yep blanching also kills any bacteria or potentially harmful enzymes on your vegetables before storing in the freezer! Food still deteriorates in the freezer !!! It just deteriorates slower!!

Duke

[LUNAR]

hi last year I just prepared the runner beans and put them in the freezer. Tasted justa s good as fresh when we used them again.

[KathrynH]

I too blanch them and find they keep right through til the next crop is ready and tast just as good as fresh. Just need to make sure you dry them off well before putting them into the freezer otherwise they freeze as one solid mass.

[GrannieAnnie]

I blanch (for a couple minutes) some excess crop to freeze everytime I cook some for dinner.

[Jeannine]

Yes please blanch, the difference is quite a lot and the keeping time better. There are differences in the freezability(is that a word) of beans. I find runners are fine, the slim Frenchies are good too but I find the flattter green beans go a bit soft in the freezer. XX Jeannine

[Fork]

I trim the beans into manageable lengths and then my wife slices them.

They then go directly into freezer bags without blanching and into the fast freeze section of the freezer.

They are cooked from frozen(you would be suprised how many people I hear who defrost first!!!)in a pressure cooker for about 3 minutes and taste just like they have been picked.

i never mastered the art of blanching and everything I did turned out "rubbery"

[beanie3]

Thanks peeps!

I went for the blanch / run under cold tap / dry well and freeze option.

I love the fact that i can cook them in winter well after the crop and they are still all mine and i grew them!

;D

[xqbgal]

I have never found a successful way of freezing beans, I always think they re tasteless and rubbery.   Eat the lot fresh!!! ;D

[raisedbedted]

I have never found a successful way of freezing beans, I always think they re tasteless and rubbery.   Eat the lot fresh!!! ;D

and they squeak when you eat them  :), we freeze a few but only use them in stews caseroles etc.  We prefer to eat seasonally trying the create new dishes from an ever changing pallette of ingredients.

[Jeannine]

xqbgal. I would agree with you somewhat but I have tried  tons of different varieties of green beans over the years and I now find there are varieties that do freeze, and those that do not, I also can a lot of beans and again so do some don't.

If I want to freeze or can, I only buy those varieties that have been bred for that purpose, others I only use fresh. I have not  so far found a flat bean that will freeze well , or a runner that is to my standard.but I know many round French types that do and also some filets..and I am very very picky.

It has taken many years to sort the wheat from the chaff though.

XX Jeannine