[muddywellies]

Hi Folks! Does anybody know where I can buy culinary grade rock salt at a reasonable price? I need lots as I would like to preserve my runner beans by salting them. I know that sounds a really old-fashioned way of doing it but I don't like the taste and texture of frozen runners. They always go a bit slimy on me  I have seen little 'gourmet' boxes of the stuff in my local supermarket but they are a ridiculous price. Thanks! 

[Val H]

Why bother with the rock salt. We've found that the cheapest food grade salt that you can buy does the job perfectly well.

[mumofstig]

 any salt that isn't sea salt is rock salt, so take your pick of the cheapies

[Val H]

Ordinary cooking salt is refined rock salt and table salt is just finely ground and refined rock salt with magnesium carbonate added to keep it damp free and easy to pour. There's no need to fork out for the unrefined product.

[Aunt Sally]

I have only eaten salted runner beans once - Aunt used to preserve them that way.

I have to say they were disgusting 

[Trillium]

Table salt usually also has iodine added to prevent goitre, and the iodine tends to alter food colour a bit, which is usually why it's not recommended.

[muddywellies]

Thanks everybody. I was avoiding ordinary cooking salt as it all seems to have stuff added - which, I keep reading, renders it unsuitable (not sure why). Have found rock salt in Waitrose which works out at £2.66 a kilo, which is more than I wanted to pay but have bought a bit to get me started. Will continue to keep my eye out in different supermarkets.

[Aunt Sally]

I'd be interested to know what you think of the salted beans when you eventually eat them.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Try Aldi for coarse rock salt - it was 69p (or possibly 89p - can't quite remember) for 500g when I was last in there (at the weekend).

[Swing Swang]

Salt for water softeners is often 'food grade' so you should be able to pick up 25kg for less than a fiver. It's fairly coarsely ground mind you, but I've used it for 'fish baked in a salt crust' with no problems.

SS

[japagow]

Tell me what you do with the beans. I have this vision of a drawer full of long runner beans lying in a bed of salt like fish in a box of ice.

What do you do?

Chop, salt and stuff in a jar?

[Swing Swang]

Basically that's all you do.

Chop beans (french or runners - runners work best though) and mix 4:2:1 -  beans:salt:sugar.

Leave in the pantry for a day or so by which time the salt and sugar should have dissolved and the beans will be swimming in brine. Pack the beans into jars and fill up with the brine.

SS

[japagow]

How soon after salting and jarring are they ready to eat and how long will they stay preserved for?

[Swing Swang]

Can be eaten straight away - but can't see the point - you might as well have eaten them fresh.
Will keep for years in a cool dark place as there reeally is a LOT of salt in them (need to rinse well and change water a couple of times during the cooking). I've eaten them after three years though.