Beans for drying

[bluebellParticipant]

I have actually grown enough beans this year for the Czar to be left for dried beans. I picked a few early ones but have now left the other pods to develop, however given current conditions whilst I’m expecting bumper size beans I am worried about their likelihood of drying sufficiently if left out on the wigwams. So at what point would you decide to harvest? Would you need to continue trying in doors? Do you then do something like putting in a jar with rice that has been dried out to remove any remaining moisture?

[charlesModerator]

Yes its looking difficult this year fro drying on the plants. Also if you pick some early ones, that delays harvest of dry pods. However there is still time until, I hope, about mid October at which point I expect to harvest all remaining pods, shell out beans and lay on trays on a sunny windowsill or over a radiator to dry before putting in a jar. I don’t use rice but its a possibility.
Also one can freeze damp beans.
Hope for no frost tonight!!

[LeilaParticipant]

Thank you for this advice Charles – just what I wanted to know as I too have loads of Czar beans after attending one of your courses earlier in the year.

[Pete BuddParticipant]

My Canadian Wonder (red kidney beans) and Cannelini do not look as if they are going to dry but like Charles I`ll wait a few more weeks and then hang them up in the greenhouse. If the foliage gets dry & crisp I will then shell them and spread on trays in the conservatory. However my latest expeiment, (dried field beans), is looking good as the beans have matured and dried a treat in trays in the greenhouse.

[charlesModerator]

Sounds good Pete on the field beans, how do they taste?
We just ate some dried, then resoaked & cooked broad beans for tea and they are tasty, filling!

[StringfellowParticipant]

Hi Pete, this sounds encouraging. I grew field beans a couple of seasons ago (Wizard from Real Seeds I think) and they were very tasty. We ate most fresh and froze the rest; didn’t consider drying them but why not. I have Czar, pea bean and borlotti on the plants – not sure if mine will make it either. Apologies for not making it your way over summer; intention was sound but things got busy. I’ll be in touch though and hope you have had a good season. Tris

[Pete BuddParticipant]

Have not tried them yet Charles. I like the idea of drying because its easy to do and doesnt occupy valuable freezer space. Canadian Wonder have been brilliant over the last few years but must be prepared correctly, can be cooked as baked beans or added to chilli, stews or casseroles. Initially I will use field beans in the same fashion and see how it goes. Cultivation was easy and a 6 meter double row produced 1.6kg of dried beans.

[bluebellParticipant]

Are these the same as field beans that are grown quite widely as stock feed? I had assumed so and hence never thought of them as edible/tasty

[Pete BuddParticipant]

Thats correct Bluebell also known as Fava Beans I believe. I got interested when I found out that a company in Norfolk was selling tins of baked beans using Fava Beans.

[charlesModerator]

Pete I understand that ‘fava beans’ is American for broad beans.
Around here the ones you mention are called field beans and Hodmedods do indeed sell them.

[bluebellParticipant]

That would explain as the ones I knew as a teenager were a lot smaller than I would expect from broad beans. I expect the farmer told everyone they were not edible to stop us from helping ourselves 🙂

[Author]

Posts