Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer
which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

Very similar here except I do generally blanch but it is very important to
blanch correctly otherwise it just ruins them, just enough beans into
boiling water so that they get back up to the boil in a minute or a bit
less and let boil for 30 seconds then out and into cold water, (running
water if possible) and pack as above. For cooking when blanched thus it is
for my taste anyway enough just to drop the frozen beans into boiling
water and they are cooked when they get back up to the boil.

--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:36:56 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

Regards, VivienB

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer
which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

Very similar here except I do generally blanch but it is very important to
blanch correctly otherwise it just ruins them, just enough beans into
boiling water so that they get back up to the boil in a minute or a bit
less and let boil for 30 seconds then out and into cold water, (running
water if possible) and pack as above. For cooking when blanched thus it is
for my taste anyway enough just to drop the frozen beans into boiling
water and they are cooked when they get back up to the boil.

--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:36:56 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

Regards, VivienB

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer
which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

Very similar here except I do generally blanch but it is very important to
blanch correctly otherwise it just ruins them, just enough beans into
boiling water so that they get back up to the boil in a minute or a bit
less and let boil for 30 seconds then out and into cold water, (running
water if possible) and pack as above. For cooking when blanched thus it is
for my taste anyway enough just to drop the frozen beans into boiling
water and they are cooked when they get back up to the boil.

--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:36:56 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

Regards, VivienB

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer
which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

Very similar here except I do generally blanch but it is very important to
blanch correctly otherwise it just ruins them, just enough beans into
boiling water so that they get back up to the boil in a minute or a bit
less and let boil for 30 seconds then out and into cold water, (running
water if possible) and pack as above. For cooking when blanched thus it is
for my taste anyway enough just to drop the frozen beans into boiling
water and they are cooked when they get back up to the boil.

--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:36:56 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

Regards, VivienB

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer
which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

Very similar here except I do generally blanch but it is very important to
blanch correctly otherwise it just ruins them, just enough beans into
boiling water so that they get back up to the boil in a minute or a bit
less and let boil for 30 seconds then out and into cold water, (running
water if possible) and pack as above. For cooking when blanched thus it is
for my taste anyway enough just to drop the frozen beans into boiling
water and they are cooked when they get back up to the boil.

--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:36:56 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win, hillier
writes
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

We freeze a lot of french and runner beans each year. We pick the pods
while they are very young and tender and we freeze them immediately
after picking. We don't blanch them, but we do slice them, then we pack
them flat into freezer bags. That way they are neither stringy, tough
nor mushy when we use them, and it gives us 12 months supply of our own
organic grown beans any time we want them.

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

Regards, VivienB

Hmmmmmmmmm! I found just blanching them for a few seconds, then freezing on
a tray for a few hours, theen bag them up. They come out the freezer loose,
and still squeek when you eat them.!
My Fav.

Ian


"hillier" wrote in message
news:P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win...
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

Hmmmmmmmmm! I found just blanching them for a few seconds, then freezing on
a tray for a few hours, theen bag them up. They come out the freezer loose,
and still squeek when you eat them.!
My Fav.

Ian


"hillier" wrote in message
news:P3b%b.1028$6l4.190@newsfe1-win...
Last year I had a glut of french beans and put a load in the freezer which
hasn't been a success. Hoping to get as many this year if I can find a
good
way of freezing them, any sugestions please.

In article , VivienB
writes

I froze my own French beans last year, like Alan without blanching. I
am not entirely happy with the results, though. The flavour and colour
are not quite right, to my taste. However, the quantities I was
picking from just two 'wigwams' were such that I doubt if I would have
time to blanch more than a smallish proportion.

We have not blanched French beans for over 30 years. Commercial
processors are obliged to blanch by law for good reasons of health and
food safety, but if the right care is taken it is not essential for home
produce. We select only the best young pods for freezing, damaged or
older ones are cooked fresh. The absence of chemicals is probably also a
factor in maintaining high quality, but most importantly we do not allow
deterioration by delaying freezing after picking.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.