Harvesting green beans is happening right now here on the farm.
I have pounds and pounds of them and besides selling them to y’all, I also like to freeze some for the coming summer months when it’s so hot that the plants are no longer producing.
Freezing is a super simple and fast way to preserve your harvest, or if you buy in bulk from farmer’s market.
The quickest way is to:
- Rinse the green beans. Pat dry.
- Cut off the end where it attaches to the plant. You can do both ends if you like, but I don’t.
- Cut into small pieces (optional).
- Place on a large baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, no more than that to prevent freezer burn.
- Place in zip lock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
I, however, prefer to blanch the beans first and then follow the above steps. I probably do this method because this is how my mom taught me, but also because freezing vegetables without blanching them first can result in faded or dulled coloring, as well as off flavors and textures. It also preserves nutrients, and stops the enzymes that would otherwise lead to spoilage.
So here is how to blanch and freeze:
- Rinse and trim the ends of the beans (the end that attaches to the plant). You can also cut the beans down to a preferred size if they are large.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil (1 gallon per/of beans).
- Carefully, dump the beans into the pot.
- Boil for 2-4 minutes depending on the size of the beans.
- Drain water and place beans into an ice bath to stop the cooking action.
- Allow the beans to dry then spread them on a cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour before placing into a freezer bag or vacuum sealed bag. Try to get as much air out of the back as possible.
Right now I have beans by the bagful and it would be the perfect time to purchase some and try your hand at freezing them. Call or text me at 409-749-0184.
Please note: once temperatures reach 90-95 degrees, the beans stop producing.