How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans? Is it possible to freeze fresh green beans? Sure, you can. Green beans are simple to freeze and keep for several months, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of garden-fresh sweetness even when it’s colder outside than inside your freezer. Furthermore, frozen green beans are a convenient and delectable complement to a variety of meals. (Use them in hearty green bean casseroles, hearty stews, stir-fries, and more.) Follow these step-by-step instructions to learn everything you need to know about freezing green beans so you can enjoy them any time of year.
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Step 1: Trim the Green Bean Ends
Before you begin freezing beans, gently wash fresh greens beans with cool tap water. Then, working with just a few green beans at a time, align the stem ends. Remove the stems with a sharp chef’s knife (we like this J.A. Henckels Chef’s Knife, $39.99, Target). How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans Continue with the remaining green beans. You can even trim the tapering tail ends if desired.
Green beans contain a stringy fiber that runs from the top to the bottom of the bean pod in some kinds. If your beans have this string, make sure you remove it from each one.
Step 2: Chop the beans into bite-size chunks (If You Want)
Cut green beans are used in a variety of cuisines, including soups and casseroles. You can save yourself some time later by cutting them into 1-inch pieces before freezing the beans. You can also freeze the beans whole and then cut them later if your green bean recipe requires them. How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans It’s entirely up to you! By the way, if you have a large harvest to use up, freezing is only one of ten methods for utilizing food before it spoils.
Step 3: Blanch the Green Beans in Step 3
Blanching green beans for freezing is as simple as boiling them for a few minutes and then dipping them in ice water. So why blanch green beans before freezing them when they can be frozen fresh? This brief extra step will retain the beans’ color and flavor while they’re in the freezer.
Heat a big saucepan of water to a boil. 1 gallon of water per pound of green beans is recommended. Fill a large dish with ice water while you wait for the water to be ready for blanching green beans. Carefully lower the green beans into the boiling water in stages. Small beans should be boiled for 2 minutes, medium beans for 3 minutes, and giant beans for 4 minutes. How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans Plunge the beans into ice water to immediately cool them. Drain the beans from the ice water once they have cooled.
So, can cooked green beans be frozen? We’d suggest doing so only if you’re briefly blanching green beans before freezing them or constructing an entire recipe for freezing, such as a make-ahead casserole or soup. Otherwise, you risk having mushy green beans that add too much moisture to your recipe once defrosted.
Step 4: Get the Beans Ready for Freezing
Fill freezer-safe jars, storage bags, or containers with the drained beans (such as this Rubbermaid Food Storage Set, ($54.99, Bed Bath & Beyond). To compact the beans, shake each package. If using a jar, add more beans, leaving a 12-inch headspace. Before officially freezing fresh green beans, wipe the rims and storage packaging dry. How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans Remove as much air as possible, then close the bags or containers as directed by the manufacturer. For a firm seal, wrap freezer tape over the lid’s edges if necessary.
Allow 112 to 212 pounds of green beans per quart container (Test Kitchen Tip).
Step 5: Freeze the frozen green beans.
Each container or bag should be labeled with the contents, amount, and date. Lay bags flat; place bags or containers in batches in your freezer to ensure they freeze rapidly. Allow some room around bags or containers for air to flow. Having difficulty finding a suitable location? Try these brilliant fridge and freezer organization solutions.
When the bags or containers are frozen solid, they can be placed closer together. Use frozen green beans within 8 months of freezing for the greatest flavor.
Choosing Green Beans for Freezing
Picking green beans to freeze, whether homegrown or from the farmer’s market, should be done with care for the best flavor. How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans Green beans are in season from May through October, so you’ll probably have the best luck buying them during those months—though you can find tasty green beans at the grocery store all year. Choose green beans that are crisp, brightly colored, and free of blemishes, and avoid green beans that are limp or have withered ends.
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