Then transfer the beans to a freezer safe container, remove as much air as possible and label as instructed above. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour. Do this by lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the beans out in a single layer. You can also flash freeze the green beans after they are dry to help prevent them from forming one large clump in the freezer container. Place the containers flat in the freezer, leaving a little space between items until they are frozen solid. Now all that is left is to label your containers with the contents, amount, and date. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Once dry, gently pack the beans into freezer-friendly storage bags, glass jars, or plastic food storage containers. Once they beans cool to room temperature spread them out to dry on clean kitchen towels or paper towels. ( Product Link: Stainless Steel Spider Skimmer) Using a wire skimmer or ladle, remove the green beans and immediately place them in the ice bath until completely cool (about 3 to 5 minutes). Allow the water to return to a boil and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until just tender. Therefore, add 2 cups of the washed and cut green beans to the pot. Now it is time to add the green beans, however, it is best to do so in small batches so that the water can maintain a boil. Once your water is at a rapid boil, add a tablespoon of salt per gallon of water. While you wait, prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it aside. To blanch simply bring a large pot of water to boil. Skipping this process can result in mushy green beans when they are thawed. Blanching helps to preserve the green beans’ vibrant green color as well as the crispness texture. Then you submerge the items in ice water to “shock” them and stop the cooking process.Īlthough you can technically freeze green beans without blanching them first, but I wouldn’t recommend skipping this simple step. Repeat the process until all of the green beans are washed, trimmed, and snapped to the desired size.īlanching is a food preparation technique that refers to the process of briefly boiling food items in water from a few seconds to a few minutes. The optional smaller size makes the beans easier for using in recipes like Vegetable Beef Soup and Green Bean Casserole. Next, trim the ends with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. You can either leave the green beans whole or snap them into two-inch pieces. It is important to use only fresh and crisp green beans when preserving. Be sure to remove any dirt and cut away any bad spots on the surface.īe sure to discard any beans that are discolored or that are soft and limp. Working in batches, gently rinse the green beans under cool running water. Just three easy steps to preserving fresh green beans! 1. No waiting for a pressure canner to come to pressure, no hovering over the dial to make sure it stays steady, and no waiting for the canner to naturally release the pressure buildup. It only takes three simple steps to freeze your fresh green beans. Let’s take a look at just how easy it is to freeze green beans with the step-by-step instructions below. It is an easy process that doesn’t require any specialized equipment. Thankfully, you can set your worries aside and preserve your green beans by freezing them. Not only are pressure canners expensive, but they are big and bulky to store and come with a variety of safety concerns if they aren’t used properly. In order to have shelf-stable green beans, you need to purchase and use a pressure canner. And, let’s admit it, there are only so many green bean recipes a person can consume in a week! Whatever the reason, those fresh green beans will only last a week or two in your refrigerator. Whether you had a great harvest from your garden, purchased a large quantity at the Farmer’s Market, or a neighbor shared their crop with you, you may be stuck with the dilemma on what to do with them all before they go bad. Why Freeze Green BeansĮvery year many of us find ourselves with what seems like way too many green beans at once. However, if you are looking for the easiest way to preserve the harvest, freezing is your answer! Just be sure to follow the tips below to make sure that the green beans stay nice and crisp. Although if you have absolutely no room in your freezer, you can still Can Green Beans, however you must use a pressure canner, not a water bath canner. Which is a good thing as canning methods used today are much different that how we learned from our parents. Not to mention that it is also much safer. While many of us have fond (or to be honest, scary) memories of our grandparents or parents canning green beans in the kitchen on a hot summer day, this process of preserving is much easier.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |