freezing runner beans

cazza1968

Can someone please tell me the best way to freeze runner beans. My mum has loads this year in the garden, and i want to save some, as we couldnt possibly eat them all. I have tried before but they were horrible..any suggestions

MissMuppet

I have been freezing my runner beans, all I did was top and tail them and cut them in half, put them in a container and straight into the freezer. Just cook them as usual when I want some...

jabba4

You should blanch them in boiling water before you freeze them. They deteriorate in taste and texture otherwise.

Just prepare them as you would normally, then put them into salted boiling water for 1 minute. Take them out and rinse in cold water, then allow to dry fully. Then you can pack them in portion sizes and put them in the freezer.

Just cook as normal when you want to eat them.

Gigervamp

After I've cut up and blanched them, I lay them out onto baking trays and put them in the freezer. When they're frozen I take them out and put them all into a freezer bag and bung them back in the freezer. That way they're all loose and I can just take out however many I need.
And that reminds me, I've got half a carrier bag full from a friend in the fridge that I need to freeze.

MissMuppet

Mine have always tasted delicious still without blanching them first... what's the point in all the faffing when you can just shove them in the freezer as they are? My Mum and some friends do this, never heard anyone complaining that they have no taste.

JulieM

jabba4 wrote: »

You should blanch them in boiling water before you freeze them. They deteriorate in taste and texture otherwise.

Just prepare them as you would normally, then put them into salted boiling water for 1 minute. Take them out and rinse in cold water, then allow to dry fully. Then you can pack them in portion sizes and put them in the freezer.

Just cook as normal when you want to eat them.

A quick tip - after blanching, give the beans a quick whiz in a salad spinner, this will speed up the drying process.

andrinaperry

I blanched loads from my first ever veg patch just this week, wish I had read the freeing on a baking tray idea think that is great.

I portioned mine into small bags after blanching them for 3 min then plunging them into cold water.

A
xx

EssexHebridean

One of the drawers in my freezer has all my plastic boxes of bulk cooking, frozen fruit etc, so I lay waxed paper on top of those and scatter anything I want to loose-freeze over that. Only works if you have a flat surface to lay it on though otherwise you'll be digging odd bits of bean out of your freezer drawer for weeks!

cazza1968

Thanks for all those tips. Have done both, and marked them so i can see which works best for next year..

bubbs

Hi,
I have loads of runner beans 1st growing them, do i have to blanch them for freezing or can i just prepare and then put in plastic bags to freeze?
Many Thanks

Butterfly_Brain

I don't blanch them I just prepare them and put into bags - you are supposed to blanch but I have never had any problems - they don't taste the same when they have been blanched beforehand