Explained step by step

Best time to freeze

With the months of July and August, summer is the main harvest time for many local bean varieties. The abundant harvest is also causing market prices to tumble. Now is the best time to buy all kinds of beans cheaply and freeze them for the rest of the year. Even your own harvest surplus can be used meaningfully in this way.

Prepare the bean pods

Freshly picked bean pods should be put in the freezer without any waiting loops, provided they are intended for this. But before they can find their place in it, they must first be prepared as follows:

• select only undamaged and healthy pods
• Wash the beans under running water
• Break off or cut off inedible ends by hand
• Cut or break the pods into bite-sized pieces

Blanch or not?

Blanching is a common practice when it comes to freezing many types of vegetables. The advantages that this extra work entails are obvious:

• the loss of color is reduced
• Taste is preserved
• Vitamins are largely retained
• Germ load is reduced
• the consistency after thawing is better

While these benefits speak for themselves, many people choose to freeze unblanched beans anyway. This saves a lot of working time and should only have a negligible effect on the taste.

This is how beans are blanched

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.
2. In the meantime, prepare another large pot of ice water.
3. Cook the beans for about three minutes, then use a ladle to pull them out.
4. Put the beans in the ice water to cool down.
5. Immediately after cooling, take the beans out and let them drain on a towel.
6. Put the dried beans in suitable freezer containers.
7. Place the hermetically sealed and labeled freezer containers in the freezer.

durability

Frozen beans can be kept for nine months at minus 18 degrees Celsius.

Thawing and Use

If beans are used for cooking, they do not need to be defrosted beforehand. They can be added straight from the freezer to the pan or saucepan. Note, however, that their cooking time will be shorter compared to fresh specimens due to the fact that they are blanched.

Beans for salads can be gently thawed in the refrigerator. However, if they were not fully cooked before freezing, you will have to do it now.

Conclusion for quick readers

• Suitable for freezing: All types of beans are well suited for storage in the freezer
• Best time: July and August when there is a bountiful harvest and market prices are low
• Preparation: Select and wash only undamaged and healthy pods
• Preparation: Remove the ends of the pods and cut the beans into bite-sized pieces
• Blanching: 3 minutes in salted boiling water; then quench in ice water
• Tip: finish cooking the beans for salads before freezing them
• Filling: Fill the cooled and drained beans into freezer containers and label them
• Shelf life: At minus 18 degrees Celsius, the shelf life is nine months
• Defrosting: Defrost gently in the refrigerator or add directly to the cooking food and continue cooking