Borlotti bean question

[jackarmy]

Just harvested my first lot of borlotti and my what a beautifull looking bunch they are appart from a few that is .

Some of the beans have like dirty brown smudges on them the bean seems healthy enough and it kinda looks like dye from the skin, anything to worry about ?.

[Scarlet]

No, it's usually where they have got a bit wet before drying fully I think. I use those up first if I can...

[jackarmy]

Thanks for quick reply Scarlet. Boiling up my first ever home grown ones mow , gonna keep it simple with just salt and pepper and some toast .

[jackarmy]

Another quick question if i may , gonna freeze some and dry some. Would the dehydrator be ok with them ?

[Scarlet]

Are they still very fresh? I always just dry mine in the pods on a tray indoors if they haven't dried already. I've never used a dyhydrator. Perhaps just freeze the fresher ones and finish drying the others off on a tray?

[jackarmy]

Not sure "how fresh" Scarlet. I picked them today if thats what you mean, the pods had dried and turned colour , is there a test to see how fresh they are ?, they tasted bloody lovely on toast

[Scarlet]

Bite them, if you can't go through the skin they are dry. Usually they rattle in the pods.

[goodolpete]

Another quick question if i may , gonna freeze some and dry some. Would the dehydrator be ok with them ?

I dried last years crop and put them in a jar. Still using the last of them for stews etc.

[jackarmy]

Bit them Scarlet , still fresh . did you dry them in a dehydrator Pete ?

[roitelet]

I've just harvested mine all those pods that were too fresh I shelled boiled them hard for 10mins and chucked them in the freezer. The others I will shell and dry.