Over the years , you ’ve been subjected treated to tales from my garden . We ’ve had Post abouttomatoes , peppers , cucumber , pumpkins(actually two aboutpumpkins ) , andcorn . Well , not aboutmycorn , but my corn did n’t do too well this twelvemonth . What did well this class was beans . I had n’t spring up beans in quite a few year because the cony in my old neck of the woods eff them . They probably would have enjoyed the bean , but they could n’t hold off that long and exhaust the works as soon as they burgeon forth . But the only critters we ’ve seen in the new neighborhood are ducks , geese , and squirrels , and they opt Zea mays , so we planted two row of bean this year .
If you do n’t have rabbit around , bean plant are extraordinarily easy to arise . labor a bean a couple inch under the dirt , and waitress . Well , we enriched the soil good with compost and horse manure , and drouth conditions mean the garden had to be watered often this year , so your mileage may vary . Our beans grew well . By the time this picture was take in August , they were already start to look tired . I favor bush beans so I do n’t have to build a trellis for vines .
Check your bean plant plant often . You ca n’t tell whether you have any to pluck until you lift the flora and peek underneath . Then you may be surprised ! Still , you must train your eye to see what to foot , as the pods lookexactlylike the plant stem . Move the plant around to get a look from every slant . You ’ll get used to it , because you have to pick beans every day . The tastiest bean plant have not reached full size . Once they are bigger than a # 2 pencil , the pods tend to turn tough and lose gustatory perception .
Then comes the snapping part . Wash your beans to take out dust and leaves , then break off the root word and the pointy ends . When I was young , this also imply pulling the " string " from your string beans , usually down both side of the seedpod . If you miss a string , the bean would be hard to exhaust and someone would quetch about receive them stuck in their tooth . However , I planted a stringless hybrid ( Burpee ’s tenderpod ) so there are no strings bind . Then snap the edible bean into pieces . break them into smaller opus , about two column inch , have it easier to fit slew of beans into a jar . If you ’re cooking them smart , you may leave them long or just break them once . There ’s something very satisfying about hear the " snap " that reassures you the beans are fresh , firm , and tasty .
On some canning forum , a newbie asked if she could just line beans up on a cut circuit board and abbreviate them with a knife . The canner say something like , uh , yes , you could . I think NO!Don’tdo that . Not only would it take more time , but it takes the play out of processing bean . Snapping beans take on me back to my puerility , sit down on the front porch with a bushel or two , help Grandma kick downstairs them . It ’s a senseless but fulfil use of your hands that gives you time to jaw or to think . While I broke beans , I call back about how I would write this mail .
bean can be mob in the jars raw , but they will pack better if you moil them a petty first . Put the beans in the jars first without the H2O , or else you ’ll end up canning too much H2O and too few beans . you may burn yourself separating beans from boiling water , so do n’t hurry .
After replete the jolt , I shake them a little to make the bean settle , then I can get more in each jar . That ’s when you tally saltiness , a half - teaspoon for each pint . Then stream the cookery body of water over them , or simmering water if you packed them raw . Leave an column inch of " head outer space " at the top of the jar , to countenance for food expansion and the eventual vacuum stamp . lend the lids ( which have been sitting in boiling water supply ) and shag rings . The genuine canning must be done according to the directions that come with your pressure canner , or you canget them online .
Canning bean plant demand a atmospheric pressure canner , because they are a crushed - pane nutrient postulate a higher canning temperature than a simmering - water canner can provide . Under air pressure , the temperature will go to 240 degrees alternatively of 212 . Pressure canners can be intimidating at first , but when you have all the steps down , it ’s faster and more pleasant than boil tons of urine . By the way , those spots on the stove are n’t spot ; they are actual holes worn in the polish .
Fresh beans prepare with salt porc is a delicious custom that smells ( and tastes ) like summer . Grandma used to simmer bean for an minute or two , but Grandma was used to mawkish solid food . Or maybe that formula occur about because they had tough , stringy bean fuel pod . Ten to fifteen minutes is all you call for for fresh , tender beans , and most of that time is to get the pork flavor rendered . assist the beanswithoutthe hunks of salt pork ( someone at the table might give them to the heel ) , but put them back in the leftovers to refrigerate . Your beans will sample even well the next day . transcribed bean are cooked , and only need to be warm up . They wo n’t have the simmer - in porc flavor , but some people add together a dash of bacon grease when they heat canned beans .
After the canning process , get the press canner sit until the pressure is all croak before you open it -this will take some time . take the jars , which may still boil internally as they sit on your counter . The sight is always a slight freakout . Let the jars cool for several hours before you test the seal ( they should be slightly concave , and will not turn if properly sealed ) . Any jars that are n’t the right way sealed should be reprocessed , or refrigerated to be consume soon . I ’ve got five XII pints and a 12 quart of dome canned already , and I ’ve cook or given away almost as many . give away bonce is a safe way to deoxidise your workload , but if they are decease to Grandma , you might want to help her snap them , or even do it for her . And the garden is still grow , although the harvesting has slowed down a bit . Those plants are tired by now .
You wo n’t save any money by canning your own green edible bean . Store - bribe bean are fairly cheap , and you do n’t have to purchase jars or a pressure canner . But rest home - displace produce sample better , and kid are more potential to eat on their vegetables if they help plant , clean , and crack each bean singly .
