Do you have a dehydrator? Also, if you live in a dry climate, you could make leather britches. I've never done it because it's so humid here, but my mom used to tell me about doing them up in the Appalachians, she said they were delicious. I've included a link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leather Britches

I steam them for 5 minutes. Then run them under cold water. Then put into freezer bags and in the freezer they go. No mush!

Pickle them.

dcarch

Hmmm, interesting ideas, thank you. Not really into dried or pickled beans...I think I'm going to have to experiment with blanching times. I only froze beans once and I might have cooked them too long.

Does anyone know what's the idea behind blanching prior to freezing?

I can't say as I have had leather britches dried beans...but I *do* know from drying apples (my grandmother), that dried apples make the best apple pie...not so watery/juicy. The beans may have some similar quality.

Blanching destroys the enzymes that make the beans mushy. I blanch for 3 minutes, then plunge in ice water, dry on paper towels, freeze on a jelly roll pan then seal in Foodsaver bag. That reminds me I have to bag the ones I blanched and froze this morning.

There is a discussion on Harvest about this from early this year.

I have pickled some bigger beans, ran out of vinegar solution had to mix more up so stuck 2 pints in the fridge. We took some to a BBQ only a few days later and they tasted really good. Lemon Spiced Pickled Beans from Small Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp. We don't like canned beans either but these were good (of course they hadn't been processed, I'll let you know how the processed ones are in a few months). I figured they'd be good in 3-bean salad once my limas come in (or with storebought canned chickpeas).

Here is a link that might be useful: Freezing beans on Harvest

FIL used to pickle them with onions and they were delish!

I'm another big fan of pickled green beans, great in salad or on an antipasta platter. And like Ajsmama said, you're halfway to bean salad with pickled green beans. Also make interesting stirrers for bloody marys! But if you don't like any of those things, then nevermind! Also I think there is a limit to how many pickled green beans I might use in a year. I think if you blanch properly and freeze they will turn out good, frozen green beans are one of the few frozen veggies I like.

Thanks for the comments...I think I'll try the freezing method again. I buy the bags of frozen mixed vegetables at Costco, and the beans in them aren't that bad...not like fresh but better than canned.

I have made pickled beans before but no one really likes them here so it would be a waste.

I'm trying a new spin on the Lemon pickled beans - white wine vinegar, rosemary and garlic. I'll let you know next month how they turn out.

Slit the FS bag, pop it in the MW for 3 minutes and those frozen blanched beans are as good as fresh - better than store-bought frozen beans (though we eat those when we run out of homegrown). DD will eat a few, really doesn't like veggies but will eat frozen broccoli (stems only), DS tolerates broccoli but loves green beans (with garlic, no butter). Neither of them like peas, asparagus, frozen corn so we alternate between beans and broccoli all winter. I'm trying to freeze grilled squash this year, see how it turns out b/c I'm tired of the 2B's (would like "not 2B" type veggie!)

Donna - The blanching process is what makes the beans not go mushy.

Commercial mixes are flash-blanched with a steam jet, immediately chilled, then flash frozen. The mixes are blended later because each veggy takes its own timing.

The cooling in ice water is CRITICAL ... as is blanching small quantities so you don't cool the boiling water off.

Google "Japanese tsukemono "

Different ways to pickle.

May be Jimster will comment.

dcarch