Here's how to properly prepare the broad beans

Remove the shell of the broad beans

Broad beans grow in pods, protected from wind, sun and anything else that can damage the tender kernels. Wrapped, they are also sold in stores as fresh goods. The peel provides the best protection in this regard, but it is not suitable for consumption.

Remove broad beans from their shells immediately before further processing. If the peel is removed too early, the beans will spoil within days. If for some reason you cannot freeze picked or purchased beans straight away, leave the beans in there for now.

Sort out defective beans

The individual beans are like one another like eggs. But occasionally some damaged specimens are hidden in the shells. These have to be sorted out by hand and finally land in the waste bin. Especially if you grow broad beans in your own garden, animal visitors could still crawl in it.

Briefly blanch broad beans

The kernels, picked by hand and cleaned under water, have to be briefly blanched before freezing. To do this, a large pot is filled almost full of water and brought to a boil.

1. Do not add the beans to the pot until the water is already boiling.
2. Cook the kernels for about three minutes.
3. Then let the beans cool down well and drain on kitchen paper.
4. Fill suitable freezer containers with the beans and put them in the freezer immediately after labeling.

Shelf life and thawing

When it comes to the shelf life and thawing of the beans, note the following:

• withstand the high sub-zero temperatures for a full 12 months
• can still be enjoyed within this period
• Frozen beans do not need to thaw
• Poured directly from the chest into a boiling liquid