Amazing canned green beans

[canadamike]

Here is the picture. There is a lil' brown spot in one place after 2 years.

I forgot to mention this: if you cut the bean where there is a seed and that seed falls from the bean, make another cut under the ''hole'' left by the bean. This is the only spotthat can get brown.

The corn is 2 years old too

[mnjrutherford]

Wow, I've never seen home canned with so little liquid! I like the bean cutting trick as well. Is there a chemical reason for that happening? Browning when the bean falls out I mean. They look scrumptious! Now I have the urge to make a pot of soup! ;o)

[hiven]

I will surely can some sweet corns and beans this year, they look so good !

[canadamike]

Hiven, they are really really good. My french friend could not believe their taste ( both the beans and the corn). The bean where especially remarquable forher, the taste is very deep and rich, away from the bland store ones. I do add DRIED SWEET PEPPER flakes and ONION FLAKES.

Both give a much more interesting seasonned veggie than fresh ones, which end up mushy and blaaaaah! And you need less to give the flavor.

I dunno MJ, I supposed the remnants of the color compounds of the seeds react in a way...

The corn kind of make its own juice a bit more than the beans. But hey, even after 2 years they are perfect. I chose the last jar of beans, almost half empty, so you could see how good they look with even more air...remember, some, maybe many cultivars would brown...

[bunkie]

thanks so much for the pics michel!

i'm just dumbfounded michel! that is truly amazing! now i'm going to have to try this 'dry' canning method...with my Red Swan Beans...next fall!

have you ever had any trouble doing this with other beans, corn?

[canadamike]

Not really, I did can many other beans in the past, sorry I grew so many and always had many in the garden at the same time, my list would be the usual:Contender, Blue Lake and soooo many others. Some get brownish or at least get an unapetizing color change, even in water...where there is no water, near the top of the jar.

Quite frankly, it did not bother me much as they are still edible, so I never really cared, but I most admit I have seen many be put of by it and go for the greener beans

We have to consider one thing: there is a lot of moisture in the cans, and the pressure cooking is probably responsible for helping by killing loads of bacterias and probably destroying some annoying enzymes too.

I decided to try that after seeing beans and corn being ''vacuum packed'' in cans. I tried it with green peas too, it works, but sorry, they have long been digested ;D They are sweeter that way and even large, they keep some taste characteristics of sweetlet peas (I like them small)... It should work with lots of things, including spinach...and I bet carrots canned that way would taste better too.

I do not cook them before canning, I put them raw in the jars. Pressure cooking does the job perfectly. I feel like trying mushrooms too....

You bad girls are giving me ideas

[Dan]

Thank you for the pictures. Definitely going to have to give this a shot with the Red Swan beans this fall.

[canadamike]

Guys, I have not grown or trialed all the green beans of this world in my life, far from it, but I have had my share over25 years of intensive gardening, and the Red Swan are truely the best canned ones I ever had.

I invite you to trial canning others compared to them. At least, with this discussion, we have sort of a ''gold standard'' to measure against and start a fruitful discussion.

It would be nice if the canners and cooks here could trial them against others. Heck, even if we find a better one, we are all the better for it...

But it better be darn good to succeed.

BTW, the RED SWAN are too long for a pint jar. So I take a handful and cut them on each side of the hand, perfect size, I end up with lots of cut green beans to can too....and it is fast.

[mnjrutherford]

I have never canned green beans, HOWEVER; around here, rattlesnake is considered THE canning bean. I love em. They have an outstanding pecan flavor when tempura fried. But, I haven't acquired a pressure canner yet so I won't be able to trial canning. If anyone is into comparisons, I would like to hear how those 2 measure up. Meanwhile, I would love some of the red swan seed as well Michel!

[mnjrutherford]

OOoo, mushrooms! I have an excellent recipe for marinated mushrooms. Want it? When I make them, I just stick them in the fridge and they last for 2 to 3 months just fine. But canning would be really great. They have a high vinegar content...

I'm wondering... I blanch them with vinegar water... they loose a bit of their juice that way but the flavor is impregnated into the flesh. If they were canned your way, they would retain their own juice AND therefore flavor... AND they would have the full marinade flavor as well... Wow, that sounds awesome!

[Dan]

I've had rattlesnake, my mom grows them every year. I'll do some comparison on the rattlesnake versus red swan when the beans are ready for picking

[bunkie]

i'm bumping this thread up cause i'm canning beans, and remember michel's method and figured i need to give it a try....tomorrow! ;D