[Lepista]

I'm getting about 5Kg of runner beans a week from my plot.  I've tried blanching them before freezing, but it takes a long time!  A friend says they don't bother blanching, and just freeze them. 

What do people here recommend...?

[aelf]

If you are going to get through them all in a couple of months then I wouldn't bother blanching them. If storing for longer, then I would.

[Growster...]

Try not to blanch them as the structure is broken down slightly, and they're never as crisp when frozen/cooked, IMHO...

Actually we never do freeze them anyway, they're too seasonal to want for too long with us...

[mumofstig]

I find if you blanch them then all you need to do is bring them to the boil from frozen and that's enough.....any longer and they are not nice at all.

But I would blanch anything that you intend to keep frozen for longer than a couple of months, to stop any deterioration in taste.





edited to make sense 

[sunshineband]

When I tried to keep some unblanched runners for Christmas, they tasted horrible.

Since then I have always blanched them for two minutes and they last really well 

[Spana]

When I tried to keep some unblanched runners for Christmas, they tasted horrible.

Since then I have always blanched them for two minutes and they last really well 

Yeh,same here 

I always blanch runners even if they're only going to be in the freezer a week, and as mos said, just bring up to the boil with a lid on the pan and turn the heat off leaving the lid on for a few minutes.

[Sooz]

Oh blast!
Last year I blanched my beans and they were all pappy when we had them, so this year I haven't bothered blanching.  Please don't tell me they will be horrible unblanched.....otherwise I'll give up growing them.   

[sunshineband]

They are Ok if you eat them within a couple of months.

If they are blanched, they only need very light cooking (as Mumofstig said a few posts back  ) or, they are indeed rather soggy.

[operabunny]

Just been learning about this at the Bristol Organic Food Festival! There was a great class on preserving by Lynda Brown.

Blanching stops the enzymes which cause the colour and flavour in food to deteriorate (even after freezing). Blanch for 2 mins in water or steam and then plunge into ice cold water STRAIGHT AWAY to stop the cooking. That way the veg retains texture instead of going soggy. Drain and pat dry before freezing.

Obviously the veg is part cooked so doesn't need as much cooking from frozen as it does from fresh.

[Spana]

Blanch for 2 mins in water or steam and then plunge into ice cold water STRAIGHT AWAY to stop the cooking.

When i know i'm going to do a lot of veg for the freezer i make blocks of ice in margarine tubs or cut off plastic lemonade bottles.  The big ice blocks last much longer in the cooling water than ice cubes.

[Swing Swang]

I'll add my vote to the 'don't blanch but eat them quickly' brigade - SS

[NN2Blue]

Oh blast!
Last year I blanched my beans and they were all pappy when we had them, so this year I haven't bothered blanching.  Please don't tell me they will be horrible unblanched.....otherwise I'll give up growing them.   

I still have some unblanched runner beans in the freezer from last years glut; they're fine. I do slice them quite fine before i freeze them though. I tried blanching but all the bean bits fell out and I was left with pods only!