How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans
An easy way to preserve fresh green beans to enjoy all year round!
Equipment
- Dishpans or containers to put the beans in
- Paring Knife
- Blancher
- Freezer bags or freezer safe containers to freeze the beans in
Ingredients
- Green Beans
Instructions
- Remove the ends of the beans and any defective spots. If you have true “string” beans, remove the strings too. Technically you don’t have to remove the tail end of the bean, just the end that was attached to the stalk. However, I don’t like the look of leaving them on so I remove them too.
- Break or cut the beans into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces.
- Wash the beans thoroughly in cold water. I like to put a dishpan full of beans in my sink and then just fill it with water. Swish the beans around really good to work any dirt loose.
- Move the beans over to the colander insert of your blancher, filling it to just below the ridge. Basically you want the beans to not go above the top row of holes so that they will be covered with water during the blanching process.
- Fill the kettle part of the blancher about 2/3 to 3/4 full of water. You don’t want it too full because the water level will rise once you put the colander full of beans into it. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil.
- Slowly (this is important so that the water doesn’t go splashing out!) insert the colander full of beans into the boiling water. Once you put the beans in, the water will stop boiling.
- Watch the pot carefully and once the water comes to a rolling boil again, remove the beans immediately. You basically just want to slightly cook the beans.
- While you are waiting for the beans to boil, fill a dishpan or sink with cold water- the colder the better. Once you remove the beans from the boiling water, immerse the colander into the cold water, making sure that all the beans are submerged. Cool the beans down as fast as possible. It helps to swish the colander around in the water, keep the water running, use your hands to move the beans around and even change the water if necessary.
- Once beans are nice and cool, drain the water off of them.
- Put the blanched beans in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers and freeze immediately.