If I could only have one thing in my garden it would be a toss up between zinnias and green beans. While tomatoes are high on the list, the most satisfying vegetable for me to grow is long, straight “haricot vert” or green beans. They grow fast, they are beautiful plants, they’re not too susceptible to disease (which makes them all the more satisfying) and they taste great seven days a week. I can’t get enough of them cooked in bacon grease and topped with feta cheese.
Picking them is time consuming though especially when you know you have to clean them once you’re finished in the garden. By clean them, I mean snap off the ends, hence their nickname, “snap beans.”
Now, there is debate as to whether or not you must snap off both ends. I’m in the no camp. I don’t believe the “tail” feels weird in my mouth or detracts from the beans at all, cooked or fresh. In fact, I love the long slender look of the bean ending in a sweet little point. Cutting off both ends is for commercial producers who end up canning or freezing the beans in two inch pieces. I like my beans whole, fresh and with the tail.
So, I’ve devised a way that eliminates the snapping of the one end after you’re done picking. I do it right on the plant!
Here’s how it works. First, I don my green bean guards. These are socks that I’ve cut off to go over my forearm. Apparently I’m somewhat allergic to green bean plants and my arms break out in a red rash from the contact. If this happens to you, find an old pair of socks and cut off the foot. Slip them onto your arms keeping the elastic end at your wrist. It works like a charm!
Then, I grab a green bean and pinch the top between my thumb and forefinger and SNAP! The bean snaps right off and you can let the little top just hanging on the plant. In my many years of doing this I’ve never had any kind of detrimental issue happen. In fact, the green beans will last for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator if you put them in a dry plastic bag. I can’t for the life of me figure out why everyone doesn’t do this.
All these green beans are ready to be washed in cold water and eaten for dinner! If you can’t eat everything you picked in one night, don’t wash them until you’re ready to cook them. Green beans keep best if they’re dry. I often pick 10-15 lbs. at a time so I keep them in plastic grocery bags tied tight in the refrigerator. I only wash what I am planning on cooking that night.
Green beans will soon be in season in my garden. Stay tuned for great green bean recipes in the next couple weeks!