Runner Beans...

[hamsterqueen]

....I am unable to keep up with the crop!

I was thinking I may have to freeze them. Do I blanch them first?

[jaykay]

I think blanching helps preserve the colour. I decided to freeze my surplus crop last year but to be honest the taste of the frozen beans was disappointing even though the fresh runner beans had been delicious. If you've room in the freezer, give it a try and see.

[Shortie]

I've been freezing our beans and have found the frozen ones were fine when cooked...

I didn't blanch ours although I've read they should be

[Hilary B]

It was years ago, but I have frozen runner beans. They taste better if they weren't blanched, but keep longer if they were (having tried both ways) The big problem is avoiding over-cooking after they have been frozen, you just need to boil or steam them until the heat reaches the middle. That is the advantage of not blanching, it is easier to avoid ending up with a solid block of beans, which the outer ones are over-done before the ones in the middle are defrosted (or you can allow them to defrost at room temp, but they still taste better unblanced).

[mandi]

i blanche mine for 2 minutes, did the same with french beans but they didn't taste so good -anyway give it a try...might try some blanched and some unblanched for a taste comparison next time...

[Alice]

HamsterQueen, I don't blanche the beans. They keep fine. You get frozen beans whichever way you do it so I reckon you might as well cut down on the work.

[Shortie]

I agree Alice. I don't have much time to spare normally, so if I can cut down on the time it takes to do things then I do... I don't wash them before I freeze them either. I chop, freeze, cook from frozen and then give them a rinse in the collinder with boiling water from the kettle just before I serve them

[bubblewrap]

Madderbat just slices our beans then freezes them I'm getting 5lbs+ a day.
Spinach also doing well.