Confused by beans

[Seahorse]

(Dear me, what a sad topic title!!!).

Anyway, I'm sure this is a really dim question but...

I would like to grow the type of red kidney beans that you find in restaurant/shop bought chilli con carne. I've Googled with no joy. Am I just looking for the wrong thing (do they have a 'proper' name?). Or are they not practical to grow here? What about just buying dried kidney beans and planting them?

I'm sure there must be an obvious answer

[The Reverend]

Good morning Seahorse, it looks as if it is not a dim question at all.
I'm afraid i don't know the answer, but will also be interested if anyone knows.

[crichmond]

Ripe seed of Phaseolus vulgaris. A 100-g portion of dried raw beans is a rich source of protein, vitamin B1, folate, iron, copper, and selenium; a good source of vitamin B6 and zinc; a source of vitamin B2, niacin, and calcium; contains 1.7 g of fat, of which 11% is saturated; provides 25 g of dietary fibre; supplies 280 kcal (1180 kJ).



Item 214 on: Heirloom bean seeds, large selection of non-hybrid varieties.

Or you could try buying some from the supermarket, although I dont know if they are treated.

[oneflewover]

In the Sutton Herbs catalogue it gives Canadian Wonder. "or leave to dry and shell to produce deep red kidney beans for Chilli Con Carne"

HTH

[Cutecumber]

Kidney beans are just a type of french bean. Instead of picking the pods young, they are allowed to mature and dry - the beans inside are the kidney beans.

Canadian Wonder - as oneflower says - is commonly available. Remember that they take a bit longer than ordinary french beans as they have to mature and dry.

Dried beans for eating may have been treated in a different way from those intended for growing, and, of course, you don't know the variety. It may be that there are kidney beans which need much warmer conditions than we can provide, I don't know. This doesn't mean that you can't try growing from dried beans you get in the shops, just that you don't know what to expect.

[Cutecumber]

Oh, and you may already know this but...

...make sure that you cook dried kidney beans according to the instructions. They contain a chemical that can make you ill if you don't boil them up properly

[momol]

Oh Seahorse, don't get confuse... relax and listen to the more experience GYO... .
Oops having to said that I would be confused too as I grow no kidney beans... he he he must have been the effect of winter holiday...

momol

[Seahorse]

Thanks for all the answers!

I Googled Canadian Wonder and found some Canada Wonder at Wilko:

Wilko Canada Wonder Dwarf Fench Bean at Wilkinson Plus

They look 'near enough' (I think?). I'll have a go with them anyway!

[Jardiniere]

Quite a few of my beans dried on the plant and I saved a load for seeds and the rest for eating - some are red.

[SarzWix]

The Organic Gardening Catalogue
The Organic Catalogue do Canadian Wonder, quite cheap too

EDIT: But not as cheap as the Wilko ones!! (And they look the same...)

[wormlady]

Hello
One of the old fellas down the plot said that he cooks his dried beans (which he grows himself) by putting them in a thermos flask with hot water overnight and then the next day you just rinse them and they should be ready to eat. Ive not tried it myself but sounds like a good idea. What do other grapes reckon?

[Flummery]

I wouldn't. they reckon a good rolling boil for 10 minutes is necessary to destroy the toxin. It's also worth remembering that if you add salt when you're cooking them the skins will toughen. If you want salt, add it when they're done.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm with Flum, they need 12 hrs cold soak, or one hour hot soak, then 10 mins hard boiling (lid off) followed by 45 - 60 min simmer. THEN they're ready!

I found Canadian Wonder the best proper kidney bean, but grow lots of others: tiger, yin yang, cherokee, ruth bible...


all from Beans and Herbs

[Seahorse]

Oh no, Two Sheds! Friday night, a conversation with Comrade Smirnoff and a seed site I haven't seen before!!!

[Two_Sheds]

It's a cottage industry I think #Seahorse. She delivers really quickly - superb seeds, almost 100% germination. Superb.