[barbarella]

We had our usual glut of runner beans this year and decided to get a small chest freezer to extend the season.  I sliced and froze a few without blanching, but mainly I religiously blanched them in a chip basket, dried them with paper towels, bagged them, put them in the fridge for an hour, then in the freezer – only a small bag or two at a time so I didn’t use superfreeze.  I don’t know if that is the problem but we have been a bit disappointed with the results.
I steam them from frozen in the electric steamer for about the same time as fresh ones, but they have a rubbery texture.   TOH and I gamefully munch our way through our portions but the kids leave most of what is usually their favourite vegetable,  and I don’t like to make a fuss because I can see why.  If we have guests, I get the beans from the supermarket 
Can anyone suggest where I have gone wrong?  I hope it is in the way I am cooking them, otherwise it will be too late to redeem this year’s crop, but if not maybe I can do things differently this year.

[mumofstig]

I don't know about steaming them, so don't know if that's the problem
I drop mine into very slightly salted boiling water, and by the time they are back to a rolling boil, they are cooked.
I agree that they don't taste quite the same as fresh but they are defo not rubbery, and I blanched and froze them the same way you did....so it's a puzzle :blink:

[tode]

Hi, barbarella,

We used to have the same problem: got to the point where we were binning them, cos fed up with the texture;

What counts most is the speed with which they're frozen.
So you must get your freezer as cold as it will go.
Wash beans in cold water, dry, then slice.
Spread them out in a single layer on a large thin plastic tray.
Freeze, and bag up afterwards. When bagging, try to get as much air out as possible (suck out and then tie).

We bought a new freezer that goes down to -32 (still not the ideal temp of -45), but they come out almost as if fresh. (Throw into boiling water & cook for ca 9 mins).

If you bag before freezing, it takes too long for the middle to get frozen.

[madcat]

I bag before freezing but only in 200g bags, so they freeze fast. 

I think the problem is you are cooking them too long.  1 blanch for between 90 and 120 secs and put the frozen beans in the steamer over the potatoes with about 15 mins to go.  as the block falls apart, I push the beans out and by the time the pots are done the beans are heated through and ready to go, but still with some bite to them.  I must grant it has taken some badly overcooked beans to get to this formula!   

[peterjf]

my chicken was the same in chinese restaurant , i told the owner that my chicken was rubbery and he said --------aw fank you velly much

[mumofstig]

my chicken was the same in chinese restaurant , i told the owner that my chicken was rubbery and he said --------aw fank you velly much

DOH

[tode]

Nice one, Pete     

[barbarella]

What counts most is the speed with which they're frozen.
So you must get your freezer as cold as it will go.
Wash beans in cold water, dry, then slice.
Spread them out in a single layer on a large thin plastic tray.
Freeze, and bag up afterwards. When bagging, try to get as much air out as possible (suck out and then tie).

I take it you don't blanch them then Tode?   I am never sure whether to bother with that.  All the books say you should and lots of people do, including me and Madcat, but some of the old hands at the allotment don't bother if the beans are young and tender.  But is that dependent on the length of time you expect to store them?

I will certainly try freezing them on a tray next time - I see your point about the middle of the bag taking too to freeze.  I know how important it is to freeze quickly otherwise the ice crystals are too big for the cell walls of the plant and when they thaw the beans go flabby. 

I will try Mumfostig's tip tomorrow though and boil them quickly - fingers crossed!

[tode]

We used to blanch, but it's a lot of messing about, and difficult to snap cool all the beans at the same time. 
We make sure that the freezer's cleared out by Spring, anyway, so nothing stays very long.

Also tried thawing very slowly (which is supposed to be best), but didn't find any noticeable difference.

Peas don't seem to be so tricky to do.

[barbarella]

Our peas got gobbled up immediately - quite a few didn't make it past the allotment gate!  The courgettes and purple sprouting broccolli we froze have turned out fine.  Seems like beans are particularly tricky.

[mumofstig]

I have noticed that for some reason my french beans were more succesful than the runners :blink:
It is the first year I've had enough of these to freeze  - they were Cobra, and a few purple ones.
Have others found this as well? or was it just chance

[jolly jen]

i dont like any veg frozen ,apart from peas,

they only thing i freeze from the lottie are raspberries.

runner beans dont taste right frozen you are right.

[Goosegirl]

My OH,  who is a trained chef, slices then blanches them, drains then pats them dry with a paper towel, then spreads them on a tray and fast-freezes them, then bags them the next day. Some varieties are better than others for freezing.

[lucyp]

I don't blanch, I freeze the sliced beans in a single layer on a steel tray in the coldest freezer spot. Into boiling water for a minute or so, no problems. The variety? I grew Enorma 25 years ago and have been saving my own seed ever since, heaven knows what they are now but certainly delicious.

[cob nut]

Mumofstig, our french beans were also more successful this year than our runner beans - last year both gave us huge crops.  

Regarding the freezing of runner beans I really don't like to freeze them unless I really have a glut which we can't keep up with eating fresh & giving to friends/neighbours - I tried freezing some years ago & hated them when cooked, I thought they had a twang to the taste, vowed I would never freeze any again but last year a tried again at freezing some due to the amount we had - some I blanched & some I froze unblanched, I couldn't really tell the difference when cooked between the blanched & unblanched ones & was pleased to find they tasted okay, although they never taste as good as freshly picked beans - anyone else like to eat them raw?