Harvesting French beans as beans

Principia_2

Some time ago on here, someone mentioned they harvested and dried the last few french beans as beans and used them in soup etc.

I thought as a bit of experiment I would do the same so I have about 15 pods on my french beans all nice and swollen.

Of course now I have no idea what to do with them When do I harvest them? Should I use them fresh or dry them? If the latter, how do I dry them?

Do I need to cook them for a certain amount of time like packet dried beans?

Any ideas because as you can see I have none ?

Thanks

Sambucus_Nigra

Some time ago on here, someone mentioned they harvested and dried the last few french beans as beans and used them in soup etc.

Some of us only grow French beans for the beans....I never harvest them green

I thought as a bit of experiment I would do the same so I have about 15 pods on my french beans all nice and swollen.

Good to hear

Of course now I have no idea what to do with them When do I harvest them? Should I use them fresh or dry them? If the latter, how do I dry them?

Either take them now, and freeze - or leave them on until the pods dry and complete the drying in the airing cupboard and then put in a nice glass jar to admire during the winter.

Do I need to cook them for a certain amount of time like packet dried beans?

Yes. If dried, soak overnight and boil until they squish under a fork with no resistance. If frozen, boil until they squish under a fork with no resistance.

Any ideas because as you can see I have none ?

Yup, as above - but they can be used in soups, stews, curries, chilis, and popped into spicy rice with cumin and chili...lovely.

Thanks

Lotus-eater

I have found and this may be only me, that some french beans, although they will make decent dried beans, the pods are a bit fleshy and take an awful lot of drying, so I prefer to use varieties of beans meant for drying.
Might be just me though, because I haven't heard this anywhere else. Certainly when I try to dry beans for seeds from my Blue Lake and Trail of tears, they take forever to dry.

lolarentt

Don't forget to save some and dry for next year's crop. Re the foregoing you can also use runner beans as pulses, and save for growing next season. I have an allotment so buy quite a lot of seed but never runner or french beans