This month's notes: December 2013: The weather is great, apples are ripe (see our apple varieties guide), hayrides, Fall fun and corn mazes are open now! See this page for hundreds of easy canning and freezing instructions/recipes, canning equipment guide! Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Then see each state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. Organic farms are identified in green! See our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals!. Please tell the farms you found them here - and ask them to update their information!!
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How to freeze green beans and other beans from your garden or the shop - Easily! With Step-by-step Photos, Recipe, Directions, Ingredients and Costs
Related topics
How to Freeze Green Beans
If you like frozen green beans in the winter, just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a bag yourself and then quickly froze it at home! It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a vegetable for the winter. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. The green beans will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store.
Directions for Freezing Green Beans
Ingredients and Equipment
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|
Instructions
Step 1 - Get yer green beans!
Start
with fresh green beans - as fresh as you can get. If there is a
delay between harvesting and freezing, put it in the refrigerator or put
ice on it. And don't use beans that are old, overripe or dried out (see
below):
Step 2 - Wash the green beans!
I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the green beans
in plain cold or lukewarm water.
Step 3 - Trim the ends and cut into smaller pieces
Just
take a sharp knife and cut of both ends (about 1/4 of an inch, or half
the width of an average woman's little finger). Then cut them into
pieces of the size you prefer, usually
about
1 inch long.
Of course, if your prefer French cut green beans, you can cut the beans lengthwise instead, or you can use a "bean Frencher". The "Frencher" enables you to prepare a huge quantity of beans quickly!
See the bottom of this page for makes, models, prices and ordering info for bean frenchers.
Step 4 - Get the pots ready
Get
the pot of boiling water ready (about 2/3 filled) and a LARGE bowl with
ice and cold water.
Step 5 - Blanch the green beans.
All
fruits and vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria
that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color,
flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. green beans requires a
brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam,
to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Blanching times for beans is 3
minutes (the duration should be just long enough to stop the action of the
enzymes and kill the bacteria).
Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the green beans in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.
Step 6 - Cool the green beans
Cool
green beans immediately in ice water. Drain the green beans thoroughly
(this shouldn't take more than a minute).
After vegetables are blanched, cool them quickly to prevent overcooking. Plunge the green beans into a large quantity of ice-cold water (I keep adding more ice to it). A good rule of thumb: Cool for the same amount of time as the blanch step. For instance, if you blanch sweet green beans for 7 minutes, then cool in ice water for 7 minutes.
Drain thoroughly.
Step 7 - bag the green beans
I
love the FoodSavers (see
this page for more information) with their vacuum sealing! I am
not paid by them, but these things really work. If you don't have
one, Ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the
bags. Remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. TIP:
If you don't own a vacuum food sealer to freeze foods, place food in a
Ziploc bags, zip the top shut but leave enough space to insert the tip of
a soda straw. When straw is in place, remove air by sucking the air out.
To remove straw, press straw closed where inserted and finish pressing the
bag closed as you remove straw. It works fairly well, but I'll stick to
the Foodsaver, since the bags are microwaveable and much thicker than a
Ziploc bag (even the Ziploc "freezer bags")
Step 8 - Done!
Pop
them into the freezer, on the quick freeze shelf, if you have one!
Tips:
- Harvest early in the morning, especially if the weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
- Harvest the green beans at its peak maturity (firm, straight, not lumpy)
- Process promptly after harvesting, or keep cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
When you take your green beans out of the freezer, how long do they take to cook?
Just the same as store-bought frozen green beans: 3 to 5 minutes; just until hot and tender. - I've frozen green beans but they seem so rubbery after being cooked.
Any idea why?
Generally, that means the beans were either old to being with, or they were overcooked. It only takes 3 minutes to blanch the beans, then plunge them immediately into ice water.
- How long can they be frozen?
It depends upon how cold is your freezer and how you packed them. Colder (deep freezes) are better than frost free compartments, which actually cycle above freezing (that's how they melt the ice). Vacuum packing results in longer storage capability, too. Thicker bags also help prevent freezer burn.
In general, up to 9 months in a ziploc bag in an ordinary freezer, and 14 months in a deep freeze in a vacuum packed bag. After that, the beans won't make you sick; they just won't taste as good.
- When blanching green beans you say to cook for 3 minutes only. When
we put the beans into the boiling water the boiling stops for several
minutes before starting again. This may add 5 or 10 minutes to the process.
Is this good or should we take the beans out after 3 minutes even if the
water hasn't come back to a boil?
Excellent question. The directions from the USDA assume that we're using a large enough pot and a large enough burner that it returns to a boil quickly (say 2 or 3 minutes). If you can, use a larger pot on a hotter burner. If that's not practical, I just add a couple of minutes to the time - otherwise the food gets overcooked!
 |
Home Canning KitsFeatures:
This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to
make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts
for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a
plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball
Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll
never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)!
There is also s simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a pressure
canner, if your want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). To see
more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! |
|
In the UK, use this link:
|
Bean "Frenchers"
For photos and features of the bean frenchers, click here!
|
It
is tiring and laborious to prepare green beans for canning; there are so
many of them and you do them all by hand. But wait there's a new
device that makes it easy. Hmmm, actually, these devices have been
around since our great-grandfather's day! Here are several different
types and makes, some hand fed, some cranked: choose the one that meets your
need and budget!|
|
Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.Need lids, rings and replacement jars? Or pectin to make jam, spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes? Get them all here, and usually at lower prices than your local store!
Get them all here at the best prices on the internet! |
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Our other free, informative sites you may like:
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Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
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Our other free, informative sites you may like:
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Looking for
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If you'd like to
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Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
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Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
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Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
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All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
Privacy Policy
Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
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All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
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Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
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All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
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Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
Or as a
last result (I reply to the forms FIRST),write me at
All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
Privacy Policy
Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
Or as a
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All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2010 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
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Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
Or as a
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All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2012 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
Privacy Policy
Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
Or as a
last result (I reply to the forms FIRST),write me at
All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2012 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
Privacy Policy
Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!
PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]
Our other free, informative sites you may like:
EHSO.com - Environmental health and safety information and guidance for the
home
ConsumerFraudReporting.org - Information about identity theft, frauds and
scams; how to report them and how to protect your identity.
FitnessAndHealthScience.org - Practical fitness, health and diet information
that works.
And our other related
websites!
Care to Donate to help me keep the website going? Donate to me at Benevia here:
Use the
feedback form for questions, comments and
feedback about farms - Use this
form suggest a farm to add to the website?
Or as a
last result (I reply to the forms FIRST),write me at
All images and text Copyright ©
Benivia, LLC 2004 -
2012 All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
and
Privacy Policy
Permission is given to link to any page on
www.pickyourown.org Do NOT copy and
republish this page in whole or part, that is a copyright violation which will
be prosecuted: link to the page instead!
Looking for
jobs on farms? Farmers:
If you'd like to
advertise or have your own web page(s), click here!