what to do with woody runner beans?

[witch-1]

Any suggestions? My beans have been quite good (the rain I think!) but as we've been away for a few days I've just picked a huge bunch but they are too big! and are woody. I can't eat these - but wondered if there was any other recipes out there that I may cook them up?

I'm not too hopeful

The rest are yummy and we pulled our first ever parsnip - cooking it right now to share with OH.

Jan
x

[jacob marley]

Chuck them on compost and be thankfull you have some more coming along they will only spoil your taste for others jacob

[rustylady]

You can't cook and eat them (unless you are a masochist), and they're obviously not mature enough to save for seed, so I would do as Jacob says and put them on the compost heap.

[Two_Sheds]

I hate runner beans. Grow French instead! They tolerate heat better too (ha ha ha in this damp summer)

[Flummery]

Oh yes, I'm with two sheds on this. I don't find that the French go woody or tough even if you miss a few and find they are monsters a few days later. I also don't lke the rough, slightly hairy texture of runners. Each to his own of course.

[Alison]

Grow both personally, spreads out the crop a bit as the French usually crop first for me. No advice what so ever re the woody ones though apart from the compost heap.

[rustylady]

But runners are absolutely gorgeous, picked fresh and young, cooked quickly (5 minutes from lottie to plate) and served with butter and black pepper. I do like french beans too - it's all a matter of taste. Runners are doing really well so far this year, and french just starting to produce.

[Sue]

Hi
I agree with Rusty Lady, runner beans are gorgeous, love them best of all the beans. I must post the names of the ones I'm growing, some of them have got to almost 18" long and are still tender and delicious. (will get on hands and knees and inspect the plant labels next time I'm on the allotment.
Sue

[SimonCole]

You could try runner bean wine. I hear that it is good in combo with blackberries.
My Nan preserves them in salt and it works quite well for her.

[Nicos]

Try steaming then, and scraping the flesh from the inside.
Bit fiddly, but could work well in a soup/stew in pulp form.
I can't stand waste either ( even if I don't like runnerbeans)!

[Cutecumber]

There is nothing worse than getting a tough runner bean in your mouth!

It's made me feel quite odd just thinking about that texture... eugh!

[vegnut]

I,m with Cutecumber on this one lol. A wire brush in the gob comes to mind.
Dump them on the compost, it's not really a waste cos they will go towards feeding the runners you grow next year. I know it's a pretty feeble excuse, but it's the best i can come up with

[Flummery]

If you can be bothered to faff you could take the beans out and cook them on their own. Chillie anyone?

[tricia]

Last year my friend let his runners and french beans get too old but froze them anyway. Then during the winter he made soup out of them. He said it was good, but I've no idea what else he cooked with them. I know he 'whizzed' the final product.

Tricia

[Flummery]

And sieved out the 'string'?