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![]() Processing shelling beans from my gardenHome >> Tools & Ingredients
For the last couple years I have been growing a large number of heirloom shelling beans from different species but mostly phaseolus vulgaris. This is a fun and rewarding garden project that is easy even for novice gardeners. Every year I set up my bean patch in a different part of the garden. Here you can see a U shape with bamboos and a steel slug barrier. Lots of hay on the ground to keep weeds from germinating. This is very fun to plan, setup and watch grow provided you manage to keep birds and slugs off the seedlings. My ground is heavy clay so some years I had germination problems but now I pregerminate in little pots and add compost to help the roots grow before they do the heaving clay digging. But if you grow enough you'll end up with a glut at the end of the year. This is exactly what I want since by saving these extra beans I can extend their window of eatability for several years. And they look pretty in my glass jars and you can use them in many different ways. If you harvest beans fresh during the growing year (say in August) you can shell them one by one. But for those beans saved for winter time, there is one way used by most gardeners who have done it more than once. At the end of the growing season you cut bush beans (those that grow on the ground) at ground level so that no earth comes when you pull them. Climbing or pole beans you just remove as best you can and place in some netting. Then just hang them in some cool and dry place until sort of December. As soon as the shells ar hard enough to break when you squeeze them, place a bundle of beans (one sort only!) in a trash or fabric bag. Put the bag on some soft ground and trample it, turning the bag from time to time, until all beans are loose from their shells. Then put the whole thing in a box or basket and shake until the beans fall mostly to the bottom. Remove the larger bits of shells from the top... ...then let the beans fall down in as small a stream as you manage to, and winnow with the box lid or let the wind do it... Do this a couple time to remove all the dust and small bits... ... and presto! you get 99% clean beans. Growing my own beans is the first time I understood why all indian legumes recipe begin by "Start by picking your beans". For this process fails to eliminate small stones whose weight is similar to the dried beans. You get them when you wash the beans... ... and finally soak them to rehydrate and speed up the cooking. 657752 views Did you like this article? Leave me a comment or see my most popular articles. Copyright FXcuisine 2024 - all rights reserved. |
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16 Comments
- #1
- Comment by Christine
I just got a notification that you were posting again! So happy to see it! Are you familiar with Rancho Gordo Beans? They are based in Napa California and have been very instrumental in bringing heirloom beans from North America back into broader production. Their beans are really delicious.- #3
- Comment by Titania
From the beginning to the end it is a pleasure to see you growing, harvesting and using beans. The photos are great. We grow manly the French bush beans as they do best in our subtropical climate. I cook a lot with dried beans, mainly I use Italian beans which I buy, but would like to try again to grow my own to dry.- #5
- Comment by John-Christopher
Why ave you placed flower pots on the top of some of the poles in the peapatch?- #7
- Comment by Nan
Welcome back FX! Love this tutorial. I agree with Christine's comment. I buy Rancho Gordo beans, especially those that are rather difficult to find elsewhere, like Tarbais. Nan- #9
- Comment by marie
Wonderful article! makes me want to grow again after many years of just buying beans. When I go to the amazing Monterey Market in Berkeley, CA they have tons of heirloom varieties of beans. I picked up a few on a recent trip and had fun making pasta e fagioli with them just to try something different!Can you tell me more about the steel slug barrier? We have a slug problem here-does it stop them from climbing over?
- #11
- Comment by Quinn
Beans in a jar are so pretty! And after the first time your teeth meet a tiny pebble, you become very serious about picking over the dried beans before cooking, right?I grow a couple of rows of beans every year, and although I know some varieties are advertised specifically for drying, I'm inclined to think that any bean left to dry in the pod becomes a shell bean (or "shelly bean" as I've been taught to call them), and any shelly bean picked young enough can be enjoyed steamed, pod and all. But maybe I just haven't tried enough bean varieties to know better? I grow mostly heirloom varieties from the eastern US, and yellow and green French filet beans.
- #13
- Comment by tim
Tumble-dryer trick for drying beans in their shells:After harvesting, put beanpods straight into a pillowcase (or similar - a gauze bag would be even better) & tie the top securely. Put into tumble dryer that is set to max for an hour!
Hey presto, beans are now perfecly dry (no more mouldy beans) and when you open the pillowcase you will find that the tumble action has shaken most of the beans out of their pods.
- #15
- Comment by tasteaholics
Woah cool! I've never seen the process of processing beans but this is really cool. Thanks for posting this- #16
- Comment by Ches
Hey FX! Great to have you back! It's great to have some new articles to read from you.Tell me what you think!
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