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Beans for drying- now what?

bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
in Fruit & veg
Ok, so ive grown some beautiful wax wax/orca and borlotti beans, they are ripening nicely and almost ready, thats where my knowledge ends! How do i store them and how do i cook them please? Up till now ive only ever chucked a can of mixed beans in with some veggie mince...... heeeelp image
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Posts

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Easiest is to store them in the freezer, unless you can be sure they are rattling dry, in which case you can store them in jars.
  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Thanks Welshonion, ive never frozen any of my own stuff, do i need to do that blanching thing first? image
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,134

    No, not for dried beans image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Thanks Dove image
  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Do i need to soak the dried beans before i use them? This fresh food stuff is very difficult- at least cans have instrustions on the back!image
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Hi Bekkie, in general all dried beans should be soaked for 24h before being used in cooking.  There are exceptions (eg dishes which are slow-cooked for several hours which gives the beans time to absorb liquid) but soak first and you can't go wrong.  image

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Thanks bob image, i will get the hang of this cooking lark one day! image
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    If you keep them in the freezer, you probably won't dry them to the stage where they have to be soaked for long. They will be what is referred to as demi-sec. If you chuck a handful in a stew for instance they will cook beautifully.



    Canned beans taste gross. Your own will be loverly!
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    My Borlotti beans have done very well this year - better than the runners.  Many are now dry on the plants and I'll soon harvest the lot.  They will then go on a teatray and be left in the conservatory until completely dry after which into jars with a few mm of salt at the bottom (which helps keep them dry.)  They look great in the kitchen - almost seems like a shame to use them!

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Most of my cooking tastes gross Welshonion! Lets hope the beans can improve it image



    Thanks for that Bob, stupid question, do they have to be kept dark, like spuds do? image
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