Green beans are thin, edible pods in the legume family. They can grow as a vine or bush form and produce continuously over the season or heavily in a short period, depending on the variety. Green beans come in many sizes, shapes, and even colors, despite the name! In addition to the classic green-colored types, green beans can be yellow, purple, reddish, or speckled in any of these colors. You may also hear green beans referred to by several different names like “string beans”, a nickname that comes from the fibrous string that ran along the seam of older types of green beans, or “snap beans”, based on the sound they make when the ends are snapped off. The sayings “spill the beans,” “skinny as a string bean,” and “full of beans” are just a few of the ways beans have become a part of the English language in fun ways.
Green beans have a mild, vegetal, and slightly earthy taste when fresh. Cooked their taste mellows and slightly sweetens. They are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folic acid and fiber. They also contain calcium, protein, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants like lutein.
Buying & Storing
When buying green beans, choose beans that are bright and free of soft, mushy brown spots. Green beans may have bug bites or brown scars. These are easy to remove during preparation but should not feel soft, slimy, or smell mildewy. Choose beans that are somewhat rigid and have firm skin. Beans that are wrinkly, rubbery, or soft feeling are older and maybe more fibrous with degraded flavor. When in doubt, ask your farmer! During preparation, if you see any beans inside of the pods have turned brown, discard or compost that pod. Some varieties have a fibrous “string” running along the seam from stem to end that should be removed before eating. Snap the stem end off and gently pull the string down towards the end to remove.
Green beans should be stored unwashed in a reusable plastic bag or container in the crisper drawer of your fridge. They should remain good for up to one week. Green beans can also be canned in a pressure canner, following USDA recommendations, or frozen for longer-term storage. To freeze, blanch prepared beans in boiling water for 1 minute, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process, and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag. In Appalachia, green beans are dried on strings to make “leather britches”. These are reconstituted by simmering in a pot of water with smoked pork for several hours.
Cooking
Blanch – Place beans in a pot of liberally salted, boiling water. After 2-5 minutes,
strain out the beans and rinse under cool water in a colander. Serve immediately or
chill to stop beans from cooking further. After blanching, beans can be frozen
and packed tightly in a sealed plastic bag for 10-12 months.
Steam – Place beans, whole or diced, in a steamer basket above an inch of boiling
water in a pot. Steam beans for approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Beans are ready
when they are vibrant green and limp, but still retain some texture. Reduce
cooking time if beans are sauteed afterward.
Microwave – Place beans, whole or diced, in a microwave-safe bowl. Add enough
water to barely cover the bottom of the bowl and cover the bowl with a
microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 5 to 7 minutes. Beans are ready when they
are vibrant green and limp, but still retain some texture. Reduce cooking time if
beans are sauteed after.
Sauté – Toss blanched, steamed, or microwaved beans in a pan with butter or oil
and your choice of seasonings (try lemon juice, black pepper, and garlic or dill and
onions). Sauté until just coated with seasonings and beans have reached the
tenderness you prefer.
Fry/Bake – Dip beans into seasoned flour, then dunk in egg, then dip into
seasoned panko. F
