If your beans are going crazy in the garden this year let me show you the best (and easiest) way to preserve them for use all year long - here is a quick tutorial on how to freeze beans!
Our beans have gone CRAZY this year! I grow them every year and it seems that every other year is a great year. We grow Scarlet runner beans which are actually perennials. You grow them one year, let them die back when they're done and they grow again when it's warm enough the next spring!
So this year is year 2 for our plants and they have done better than I hoped for. Considering that I also planted 16 bush beans to ensure we had a good supply of beans all winter, we have really been drowning in them! I think at last count I have frozen 3kg of beans which I am pretty excited about and the plants are still going strong!
Tip: Runner beans can get a bad rap for being tough and stringy. Trust me, I know! The key is to pick them early. The bigger they get, the more fibrous they get and they can be very unpleasant to eat. If there are some on the plant that are looking pretty big I don't even bother - they go straight in the pig bucket. No one likes a stringy bean!
As much as I love bottling fruit and vegetables, freezing is just SO easy! And if you have the freezer space, it makes a lot of sense.
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I know some people prefer to skip the blanching step which is where you plunge the beans into boiling water for 2 minutes. This partially cooks them. I have done it both ways, and I do prefer to take this step. I find it helps the beans to retain their crunch and fresh flavour. It only takes a few minutes and is well worth it in my opinion!
Here is how I freeze my beans
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to the boil
Step 2: Top and tail the beans (cut off both ends) and then slice them into approximately 3cm pieces
Step 3: Pour all beans into the boiling water and leave them in for 2 minutes - this is called blanching them and just slightly cooks them. When 2 minutes is up, drain and let the beans cool. You can put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process but I find letting them cool naturally is perfect.
Step 4: Once they are completely dry, lay them in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone liner. This ensures that they don't freeze in one big clump of beans and are free flowing. Freeze overnight.
Step 5: Once frozen, transfer from the tray to a snaplock bag labeled with what they are and the date.
These beans keep well in the freezer for the whole year - just in time for the next harvest!
Recipes to serve green beans with:
- Sweet & Sour Pork
- Sausage & Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner
- Parmesan Pork Chops
- Herb Lamb Chops
- Easy Baked Mac & Cheese
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How to Freeze Beans
Ingredients
- Beans
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of water to the boil
- Top and tail the beans - cut off both ends - and then slice them into approximately 3cm pieces
- Pour all beans into the boiling water and leave them in for 2 minutes - this is called blanching them and just slightly cooks them. When 2 minutes is up, drain and let the beans cool. You can put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process but I find letting them cool naturally is perfect.
- Once they are completely dry, lay them in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone liner. Freeze overnight.
- Once frozen, transfer from the tray to a snaplock bag labeled with what they are and the date.
If you tried and loved this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below!
We have had a bumper cropp of
Snake Beans this year 2021
& your method of blanching and freezing them has saved them for our Winter meals!
A big thanks!!
What happens if you freeze them without blanching?
Hi Candice. Nothing happens, I just find that they keep their colour and flavour and freeze better being blanched. It also has the bonus of stopping any enzymes that could lead to spoilage. Laura