Broad Bean Harvest

[Bex]

Quick silly question:

When do you know when broad beans are ready to harvest?

I know its silly but Hey, girls gotta learn.

Thank you.

[Cutecumber]

Well, it depends on what size you want to eat them!

If you look in some books, you'll find pictures of pods on the plant ready to harvest - that can be a useful guide if you're really not sure what to expect. Different varieties produce different size pods, so it's only an indication.

As they grow, you'll see the pod get lumpy - the beans inside are swelling. It can be misleading on occasion as the pods are very thick - sometimes the beans inside are much smaller that you expect.

Once you have picked and shelled one pod, you'll get an idea of how big to leave them. Pick sooner rather than later because they can be unpleasantly tough if left too long.

[Bex]

Thanks Cutecumber, I did pick a pod at the weekend that looked ready but I really didn't expect all the 'padding' that the seeds have. I've never eaten broad beans before so not sure how big they are supposed to be. I'll maybe try again in a week and see what the difference is.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I picked my first lot (ie 12 pods!) at the weekend, Bex - I ate the whole lot, didn't shell them - they were about 5" long and I cooked them for about 4 mins and had them with a knob of butter - yum yum!

[Vegmonkey]

Wow! Glad to see you are all picking...i've just spotted a few pods growing on our plants...sooooooo excited!

[Flummery]

Mine are stll in full and buzzing flower. They weren't sown particularly early though. I don't expect to be eating them till the end of the month (but I'd love to be surprised!)

[Paulottie]

Hi Bex,

Nearly finished the Aquadulces and the Suttons coming good.

BB's can be eaten several ways:the pinched out tops of the plants can be eaten(not to my taste); the pods when very young can be cooked whole(mange tout style); a bit older and you eat the whole seed. The skin that covers the bean can be removed after cooking particularly for older beans-always seems like a lot of plant for a little food but its the bit that gives you... erm...wind

Threw a whole load of cooked ones in a curry towards the end of cooking the other night...delicioso

Enjoy

[moggssue]

Paulottie - do you cook your beans then store them? I was planning on just picking as and when I wanted them and cooking them with everything else (like I do with the tins I used to buy!) - sorry if this is a really dim question - and sorry to hijack the thread too!

[Bex]

Moggssue - I've been going to the lottie every couple of days and picking the ones that are big enough to eat. I only eat the beans, not the pods as I don't like the texture of that fluffy protective coating on the inside of the pod. If I do get fed up with them then I will blanche and freeze them.

[moggssue]

Thanks Bex, thats what I was hoping to do as well (mine are only just flowering so I have a while to wait), so I know now that I can do it - if you see what I mean!

[Two_Sheds]

mine don't make it home, I eat them small and raw. Also good in a hummous style dip!
http://www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes/broadrec.html

[moggssue]

Good link thank you!!

[Paulottie]

Same as you Bex

[Flummery]

Regarding the 'padding' there is a children's song our pupils sang that has the line, 'broad beans are sleeping in a blankety bed.' The children had no idea what it meant so I took them some broad beans and showed them the 'blanket' - fascinated. But sad that so many had never even heard of/eaten a broad bean, let alone seen it 'sleeping' in its bed of fluff.

[Waffler]

I love that song!