Putting Up Beanz

by | Jul 1, 2016

(I think Kateri hit the “z” key and added it to the end of the word Bean.  But I think it’s funny, so I’ll leave it there!)

Welcome, July!  Month of garden abundance.  My green beans have just started to take off and I have a feeling I’ll be buried in them soon.

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I don’t own a pressure canner, which makes canning green beans out of the question.  I know that all good homesteaders should probably invest in a pressure canner, but now is not my time.  The good thing is that it forces me to be creative and expand my limited horizons.

I couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for lacto-fermented green beans.  I’ve fermented the traditional pickles a kraut in the past, but never ventured beyond that.  Green beans sounded curious and delicious.

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I experimented on a small amount of beans I had just harvested and set them on the counter, along with my other fermenting goodies. (I need some sort of huge fermenting station.  Or house.)

We tested the beans after about five days of fermenting and were not disappointed.  The beans stayed crisp, without any strange additions that pickles require.  These were so easy to make and had delicious results.  Kateri was thrilled with them and even slurped up the juice!

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Lacto Fermented Green Beans

Filtered Water

Sea Salt

Garden Fresh Green Beans, trimmed

Add ins: garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh dill, etc.

Mix salt and water to make a brine.  About 1T salt : 1 C water

Place any optional “add ins” into the bottom of a clean mason jar.

Trim the ends of the green beans and pack tightly into a clean mason jar.

Pour brine over the beans to cover.  Add a weight, if necessary.

Cover with a loose fitting lid or cheesecloth and place the jar(s) in a room temperature area.  Let sit for a few days and test for flavor.  When your desired fermented flavor is achieved, replace the loose fitting lid with a tight fitting lid and move the beans to cool storage, such as a refrigerator  to stop the fermentation process.

Easy!

What’s your favorite way to preserve beans for the cold months to come?

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About The Author: Sarah Antonio

Keeper of all the adventure gear, provisions, and abandoned shoes, I’m the one who brings our adventure to you.

2 Comments

  1. Emily G

    I’m going to try that tomorrow! Every year I say I this is the year we buy the pressure canner, and yet again I am pretty sure it’s not this year. I freeze my beans in quart bags. Last year my baby was little and life was crazy and I didn’t blanch them. They were really watery and had to be overcooked in order to be edible-you couldn’t lightly steam or saute them. I am blanching them this year and I hope that makes it better.

    Reply
    • sewmanywildthings

      If you try it, let me know what you think! Interesting to hear about the unblanched beans. I always wondered why that step was so important! I’m glad to know!

      Reply

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2 Comments

  1. Emily G

    I’m going to try that tomorrow! Every year I say I this is the year we buy the pressure canner, and yet again I am pretty sure it’s not this year. I freeze my beans in quart bags. Last year my baby was little and life was crazy and I didn’t blanch them. They were really watery and had to be overcooked in order to be edible-you couldn’t lightly steam or saute them. I am blanching them this year and I hope that makes it better.

    Reply
    • sewmanywildthings

      If you try it, let me know what you think! Interesting to hear about the unblanched beans. I always wondered why that step was so important! I’m glad to know!

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *