Hello, all...I know there was a whole thread about this somewhere. I had some homegrown green beans I cooked..and cooked..and cooked. about 5 hours in the crockpot on high, then a couple days later in w/ some roast and potatoes about 8 hours on low. They are stringy and tough without much flavor. I cooked them the 2d time because they were stringy and chewy after the first go around. This is the first time I've tried to grow and cook green beans. Any suggestions? I'm about ready to rip out the vines and just try something else.
I have never heard of such a thing. The only thing I can think is that you picked them when they were too very old. You should pick them when they are fresh and young, the smaller the better. Hopefully someone else will chime in to help you more. Barb in Pa.
Green beans should be picked when they are about as big around as a pencil. Length varies according to the variety of bean, but any green bean bigger around than a pencil goes to the chickens! I steam fresh green beans for about 5 minutes. They retain their crispness, turn a lovely dark green color, and hold their taste. If the only green beans you've ever eaten are canned ones, you won't get the same texture, softness, and color from fresh (but I bet you'll like the fresh ones better!).
I've cooked fresh green beans before and really liked them..but haven't tried growing my own. They were almost all at least 5 inches long, so guess maybe they were too old. does it make a difference on what kind of green beans they are? Sorry to sound like such a novice, but I am... lol. Thanks for the advice given, now and in the future.
If they are too big and there is a bean inside, try shelling them and using the beans in a stirfry or soup or just cooking until tender. I have some that I let get too big and that is what I do with them. You can mix them with smaller green beans, too. My boys used to call them shelly beans. dooley
The length isn't important, it's the diameter of the bean. If the green bean is bigger around than a #2 pencil, it's past its prime. Different varieties have different lengths when at their best--TopCrop, TenderGreen, and several others don't get much longer than 3-4" when they are at their best.
If the bean inside the pod is full-sized, you should shell them out and cook them for "shelly beans". You can get 3 crops from your beans; green beans, shelly-beans, and dry beans. They're all good and very nutritious if prepared right.
I grow Blue Lake bush beans simply because they stay tender much longer than others. And average about 4 to 6 inches long. How to tell if they are right for green beans is just to break one, they should snap rather than tear open. Another possibility for tough beans is weather. Too dry will make them tough much faster.