I am planning on cleaning out the lady at the farmer's market of her cranberry beans this Friday. I am hoping to use in three different recipes over the course of the next 6 weeks or so. They are sold fresh, in the pod. Obviously if they were dry or frozen I wouldn't be having this question, but since they are an heirloom I am wondering if they are temperamental, and what best practices are for preserving fresh beans medium-term.
How should I preserve them for use 4-6 weeks from now?
Best Answer
My recommendation would be to shell and wash the beans, blanch for 3-4 minutes then quickly plunge in an ice bath, drain and pat dry, and seal in a freezer bag (squeezing out as much excess air as possible).
I have done this with fresh green beans by cutting into 1-inch pieces and they lasted 3 months in the freezer with no problem. I realize cranberry beans are quite different, but I think the same method would apply and work well. I would think the cranberry beans would be less temperamental than regular green beans.
As an aside, I have similar plans and this is how I am going to try to store them long-term.