Couple of borlotti questions.

[brownfingers]

What is the best way to cook them? Shell them like a broad bean, of chop and boil in the pod like a kidney/runner?

To store, is it best to freeze or just leave to dry out?

Thanks in advance.

[Kristen]

I've picked all ours "young" and chopped them across-ways (not lengthways like a runner is more usually cut). Thus I've never had a crop of Beans ... We also grow climbing French beans with flat pods (Limka for example) and treat them the same. In fact I think they taste very similar, Limka is preferred (but its marginal) as being slightly firmer after cooking.

I have assumed (no evidence though) that if I let the beans mature the plant will think Job Done and stop producing more pods.

[Scarlet]

You can shell the beans and freeze if you have the room. I leave mind to dry out and keep in glass jars.
You can eat the pods as well as Kristen has said and yes, if you are growing them just for the bean, you need to sow more. The plant does think, job done when it's set seed so you have a much smaller bean crop than if you were to pick them off when young and eat them as sliced beans.

[Kristen]

The plant does think, job done when it's set seed so you have a much smaller bean crop than if you were to pick them off when young and eat them as sliced beans.

Thanks. Worth allowing the tail-end of the crop to set beans, rather than picking for the pods, would you suggest?

[Scarlet]

Yes, when I'm sick of the sight of beans, they all get left on the plants until it starts getting to damp to dry outside. These I often just shell and bag up &freeze ready for chilli and casseroles, or dry indoors.

[TrixC]

I was taught by my Italian neighbour that borlottis should be left on the vine until the pods have completely dried out, then harvested for the beans.

[Alison]

Depends on what you like really. I eat some as podded beans (with only tiny seeds inside), some as soft beans (like broad beans) and loads as dried ones for over winter. I don't really freeze them at all as I don't think they're as nice then but do have a few rows purely for drying. They're doing nicely at the moment and will be brought inside to do the final drying in a few weeks time.

[Two_Sheds]

boil in the pod like a kidney ?

but you don't cook kidney beans in the pod *puzzled*

[BigV]

My borlotties look good,but this is my first time for growing.The pods are nice and full and the inside beans are pale green.Can't find the seed packet but they are climbers.Is it too soon to pick? I shall use some and freeze the rest.


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[Alison]

If they're of a decent size for use then you can eat them. As I mentioned further up I mainly grow mine for dry beans so obviously I leave them a bit longer