What can I do with the beans from green beans? I had to be gone for several weeks this summer and the green beans didn't get picked by my husband.(he said he tried some and didn't like them so he just left them on the vine) I went ahead and picked them and then let them dry and then shelled them. Now what? Can I make bean flour with them? I've done it with white beans but never green beans. Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks Billie

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@earthlink.net), November 01, 2001

Answers

If they're dried then cook them as dry beans - no real difference if they're ripe - they're dried beans. If they were (and are) green but dried then put them back on the vine and let them ripen before you pick them (best practice): if you can't do that, so they're dried green beans, treat them as dried green peas and cook them (when you're ready) anyway. Actually I need to think about this - dried green beans - I've seen them (rarely) before - this has possibilities.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), November 01, 2001.

In Switzerland people eat dried green beans- They boil them up and then fry them up in a pan with speck (bacon) Very good.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), November 01, 2001.

You're talking about green bean seeds, aren't you, Billie? In that case, yes, you can eat them just like dry beans. I've done it before, but I can't say I was nuts about the taste. Very "beany". But if you don't want to waste them give them a try.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), November 02, 2001.

When you buy them in the store, they are called "Great Northern" beans.

-- Marv (mcheim@lewiston.com), November 02, 2001.

Guess my brain isn't functioning well this AM but, Don, I can't figure out how to put beans back on the vine. Anyway, we use dried beans from green beans just like soup beans, or to cook, then bake. Dried green beans (whole) are known as shuck beans or leather britches and can be cooked, usually with a bit of bacon or ham. They taste a little like they'd been dried and reconstituted, but, with a pan of cornbread and some applesauce, they make a good winter meal.

-- Rosalie (deatline@globalsite.net), November 02, 2001.

Some of the best beans I have ever had, were half tender green beans, and half shelled out overripe seeds. Cooked together, its wonderful.. a lot like pintos cooked with greenbeans. A real combination there.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), November 02, 2001.

You could save some back to plant too!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), November 02, 2001.

Thanks everyone for the replies , so far. I had some of the same thoughts about cooking them as suggested, but just wasn't sure. Wanted to get the 'experts' advice first. Thanks 'experts'. Will save some for seed next year and try again. Hope I don't have to be gone again when they are ready to pick. Thanks again. BILLIE

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@eartlink.net), November 02, 2001.

Just cook 'em up in some water with some ham or bacon. Too late to be of use to you now but in the future you might want to consider pickin 'em green and stringin some up with a needle and thread and hanging 'em to dry. When you want some green beans in the winter take some down and cook 'em up in water with ham or bacon. This was commonly done years ago.

-- David D. James (www.davidntammy@msn.com), November 03, 2001.

We eat em all the time. Seasoned with a little smoked hog jowl and onion, they're a meal.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 05, 2001.