[heygrow]

Getting to the glut stage and wondering what to do with them all.

My wife has made chutney and threatened to make soup. We tried a few years ago to freeze them and were not impressed with the results. So wondered if anyone has had success in a method of freezing that preserves some degree of original taste and texture?

[richie3846]

This works for me:
 -Put freezer on superfreeze at leeat 6 hours before
 -Chop beans
 -Drop into rapidly boiling water (don't do a huge amount in a batch, the boiling water will become to cool)
 -Put lid on pan, make sure heat is on full, to ensure quick return to the boil
 -Time 3 minutes from immersing
 -Drain, immediately refill pan of beans with cold water
 -Swish beans in water
 -Drain again, refill with cold water, then repeat for 3rd time
 -Drain, dry beans on towel, or use salad spinner if you have one
 -Lay beans on flat tray, stick in freezer for at least an hour
 -Scrape into container or bag once frozen

They will never be as good as fresh but this technique will leave you reasonably edible beans, still packed with nutrients.

My main issue with this technique is getting a toasting off the wife for filling the freezer up! 

[Aunt Sally]

I've never been impressed with frozen runners

So I just enjoy them as a fabulous seasonal treat  (as do ALL my friends and neighbours )

[barley]

I freeze loads 

just slice and bag and chuck in the freezer

the trick is not freezing them it's cooking them after freezing

always cook from frozen and add quarter of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in the water , it will make the water froth as it comes to the boil , but completely harmless - it helps keep the green colour in and takes away the chewiness , try a batch you have nothing to loose

infact bicarbonate works with most green veg 

[Aunt Sally]

infact bicarbonate works with most green veg 

...but it destroys the B vitamins (chiefly thiamine and riboflavin) as well as the vitamin C.

[mjpalin]

This works for me:
 -Put freezer on superfreeze at leeat 6 hours before
 -Chop beans
 -Drop into rapidly boiling water (don't do a huge amount in a batch, the boiling water will become to cool)
 -Put lid on pan, make sure heat is on full, to ensure quick return to the boil
 -Time 3 minutes from immersing
 -Drain, immediately refill pan of beans with cold water
 -Swish beans in water
 -Drain again, refill with cold water, then repeat for 3rd time
 -Drain, dry beans on towel, or use salad spinner if you have one
 -Lay beans on flat tray, stick in freezer for at least an hour
 -Scrape into container or bag once frozen

They will never be as good as fresh but this technique will leave you reasonably edible beans, still packed with nutrients.

My main issue with this technique is getting a toasting off the wife for filling the freezer up! 

My method is similar.. here are the variations (note we have a vacuum machine for preserving in the freezer)

- Time 2 minutes from immersing

- after drying, put required amount of beans (200g = 2 adult portions for us) in vacuum bag
- place bags in freezer for 1 hour then suck & seal.

Means no freezer burn, and beans that taste as good as new when you eat them throughout the year (we then defrost, and steam for c.6 minutes)

[Annen]

slicing the beans lengthways is better than slicing them across. they cook quicker with less damage after freezing

[beesrus]

I throw away the later leathery pods and freeze the beans. Lovely.

[Steveharford]

Lets be fair. Its a lot of faff and they do spoil quite a bit in the freezer.here is my method: pick beans, slice with bean slicer, chop to required length, put layer of salt in bottom of a sweet jar,  add an inch layer of beans, add another layer of salt to cover well. Repeat till you run out of beans or the jar is full. Keep in dark place. I stand mine in a bin liner. Sorted. Very quick, taste like the fresh beans when thoroughly swilled, even a year later. Try a batch and compare with your frozen ones in a few months time. You will be pleasantly surprised.

[8doubles]

I've never been impressed with frozen runners

So I just enjoy them as a fabulous seasonal treat  (as do ALL my friends and neighbours )

Same for myself !

[jaydig]

I think it also depends on the variety of bean being frozen. I never had much success in the past, but since growing Moonlight, I've found the frozen beans much better. I just chop, bag and sling them in the freezer. Cook from frozen - always into rapidly boiling, salted water. Cook rapidly with the lid off. Not as good as fresh, but infinitely better than I've had in the past.

[heygrow]

Thanks to all for the variety of ideas. Steve Harford's is one I had not considered and may give a try to see what results I get.

Seems like the consensus on freezing is that you need to dry well after blanching and quick freeze and get all the air out of the sealed bags.

I agree the with those who take the easy route and just enjoy fresh with family and friends getting to do the same.

[heygrow]

Steve, Can I just clarify your salting method. You don't blanch them, just slice and cut before putting into the jar?
I guess they would need to be cut quite short to lie flat in the jar then?

[Steveharford]

hi Heygrow. thats right i dont blanch. No need. i dont even wash them! :-) straight off the plant, top them and slice, then cut usually into three. They then fit into a large sweet jar, nicely. Im talking about the big ones on shelves at the back of proper sweet shops. Oh and every now and then, while filling, i put my hand in and press them down a bit. Check after a month or so to make sure that the very top layer is still covered in salt.

[Beetroot Queen]

Ewwww frozen beans. Yuck. I would rather be beanless.

Do people not find they go soft. I like a bite to my bean