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Fresh green beans are often available from local gardens and farmer's markets for a short period each summer. If your family likes the taste of these summer vegetables, you can preserve green beans by freezing them for later use. It's easy to do at home, and it gives you control over the quality of the food your family eats. Read on for a guide to freezing green beans and making the best use of them in three delicious recipes.
Steps
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Pick green beans from the garden or buy them from the market.
- Only use beans that are blemish free. Look for green beans that have no small beans inside them. While the small beans don't hurt the taste or quality of the beans, they signify that the green bean is past its prime.
- Use the freshest beans possible. Freeze them the day you pick them from your garden or as soon as possible after you purchase them. If you must wait to freeze green beans, store them in the refrigerator in the meantime.
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Wash the beans thoroughly. Place the beans in a colander or clean prep sink and rinse them with cool water.Advertisement
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Trim the beans.
- Use a paring knife to snip the ends off the beans. If the green beans have any bug spots or bruises, you can cut them out with the paring knife.
- Cut the beans to the length that you prefer. You can leave them whole, or you can cut the beans into pieces about one-inch long. A bean Frencher is a device that allows you to cut the beans into long, thin strips.
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Prepare the cookware.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Leave room in the pot for the beans. Covering the pot with a lid makes the water boil faster and conserves energy.
- Fill a second large pan or bowl with ice cubes and water.
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Blanch the beans in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- This process removes enzymes that break down the quality of the beans.
- Be sure not to let the beans boil for too long, or they will overcook.
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Transfer the green beans to the cold water.
- Use a slotted spoon to move the beans from one pot to the other.
- Add more ice to the beans, if necessary.
- Chill the beans at least three minutes.
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Drain the beans.
- It's important to get as much moisture as possible off the beans. Otherwise, they may have ice crystals form on them in the freezer, which can cause the flavor to deteriorate.
- Use a paper or dish towel to remove extra moisture from the beans.
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Pack the green beans.
- Use freezer bags that zip or bags that seal with a vacuum sealer.
- Put enough beans in each bag to make a meal for your family. This way you'll be able to defrost exactly as many as you need instead of the entire batch of beans. A rough measurement is one handful of beans per serving.
- Close the zippered bag almost all the way. Insert a straw into the opening. Draw out the remaining air through the straw. Withdraw the straw as you finish sealing the bag.
- Label the bags with the date you froze them.
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Freeze the green beans.
- Rearrange the beans in the bags so the bags are lying as flat as possible. This allows the beans to freeze quickly and preserves the fresh taste.
- Frozen beans will keep for nine months in a conventional freezer, and longer in a deep freeze appliance.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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Remove green beans from the freezer. Take them out of the freezer bag and spread them in an even layer over a baking sheet. Some of the beans may be frozen together in clumps; separate them as much as you can using your fingers and a fork.
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Drizzle the green beans with oil. Olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil and grapeseed oil are all good choices.
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Season the beans with salt and pepper. Sprinkle lightly with other seasonings if you wish, like cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, or any other spices that you like with vegetables. Toss the green beans to make sure they are thoroughly coated.
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Place the green beans in the oven. Cook them for ten minutes, then remove them from the oven and use a spatula to stir them around. Place them back in the oven and cook until parts of them look brown and crispy, about five more minutes.
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Remove the green beans from the oven. Add additional seasonings or grated cheese if desired. Serve hot.
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Remove green beans from the freezer. Take them out of the freezer bag and place them in a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to separate beans that have clumped together.
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Drizzle some oil in a saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Allow the oil to heat up.
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Place the green beans in the saucepan. Stir them around using a wooden spoon until they are evenly coated in oil. They will start to thaw and release water. Cook the green beans until the water has evaporated.
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Season the green beans with salt and pepper. Add other seasonings like garlic, fresh ginger, lemon zest and red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
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Sauté the green beans until they are lightly browned and crispy. Remove them from heat before they get limp.
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Place the beans in a bowl. Serve hot as a side dish, or place over spinach and other salad greens for a great textural contrast.
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Remove green beans from the freezer. Take them out of the freezer bag and place them in a strainer over a bowl. Allow them to thaw completely.
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Pat the green beans dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture will cause the beans to come out soggy.
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In a small bowl, mix a cup of beer, a cup of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use a whisk to stir the mixture until it is smooth.
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Pour a few inches of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the oil to heat until it is ready to fry. Test whether it's ready by inserting the handle of a wooden spoon. When bubbles start to form around the spoon, the oil is ready.
- Don't use olive oil to fry, since it breaks down when heated to high temperatures. Peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil is a better choice.
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Place the batter in a large food storage bag. Put the beans inside the bag. Close it and shake well.
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Use a pair of tongs to transfer the battered green beans to the hot oil. Continue transferring beans until you have an even layer of beans.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet, or the beans will turn out soggy.
- Avoid overlapping the beans.
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Cook the beans until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate made with paper towels to drain. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat if my beans got soft after a few days in the fridge?Community AnswerThey will not taste as good as if you had frozen them right away. When vegetables become soft they need to be eaten quickly.
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QuestionDo I have to cut all the bug spots off before cooking them?Community AnswerYes, you would need to clean and cut them all before cooking the beans.
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Tips
- You may use the same boiling water for up to five batches of beans.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Paring knife
- Bean Frencher (optional)
- Large cooking pot with lid
- Large pot or bowl
- Ice
- Slotted spoon
- Drainer
- Freezer bags
- Food sealer and bags (optional)
- Straw
- Cooking oil
- Salt and pepper
- Additional seasonings of your choice
- For frying batter: flour and beer
About This Article
Article Summary
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To freeze green beans, start by trimming off the ends and cutting the beans to your desired length. Then, blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water so they stop cooking. Next, drain the water. Pat the green beans dry with a paper towel. Finally, place the green beans in a sealable freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 9 months.
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Reader Success Stories
- "The link suggested 4 ways to freeze green beans, which attracted my interest. The article provides 1 method, and 3 others on how to prepare them to eat. Someone apparently failed kindergarten math! Just sayin! Great site. Great information." ..." more
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"The link suggested 4 ways to freeze green beans, which attracted my interest. The article provides 1 method, and 3 others on how to prepare them to eat. Someone apparently failed kindergarten math! Just sayin! Great site. Great information."
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"Had a large bag of fresh green beans and didn't want to have to throw any away. There's only two of us in our home. We like fresh foods. Thank you!"
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