Drying beans is a great way to store them for a long time, whether you grow them or buy them in large quantities. This article outlines some steps to do this.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Steamed
Step 1. Decide the type of beans you want to dry
The method of drying green beans, for example, is different from that of lima beans.
Step 2. Choose the tools and method for drying the beans
You can do it outdoors or indoors, it depends on your budget and the climatic conditions of the place where you live. Using a dehydrator, the oven, or the heat of the sun are some examples of how to dry beans.
Step 3. Prepare the amount of beans you want to dry and steam them
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Remove the stems of green beans, snow peas, green beans, and wax beans. For larger grades, open the pod lengthwise to speed up the drying process.
Dry Beans Step 3Bullet1 -
Peel the lima beans, peas or other qualities with the pod ready to eat. Do this before the pods start drying out.
Dry Beans Step 3Bullet2 -
Take a wire rack or tub and place it over a pot of boiling water. Steam no more than 5 cm of green beans, snow peas, or yellow string beans. The cooking time varies from 15 to 20 minutes.
Dry Beans Step 3Bullet3 - Steam low layers of lima beans for 10 minutes.
- Remove a small amount of beans from the basket or cooling tray and sprinkle them on paper towels or tea towels to allow excess moisture to be absorbed. Cover the steamed beans with sheets.
Step 4. Spread the steamed beans on perforated cooling trays
Tray openings allow for greater air circulation and evaporation of excess moisture.
It depends on the size and whether they are green beans, eaters, snow peas or wax beans, but they should be arranged on the trays in layers of about 1-2 cm. Lima beans or similar should instead be sparsely arranged
Method 2 of 5: Baked - Method # 1
Step 1. Dry 1 or 2 trays of green beans, mangiatutto, snow peas or wax for one hour in the oven at 50 ° C
Then raise the temperature to 65 ° C, until the beans are almost dry. Lower the temperature again to 55 ° C.
Step 2. Dry the green beans, mangiatutto or wax beans at 55 ° C for 1 hour
Raise the temperature to 65 ° C and bring it back to 55 ° C when the beans are almost ready.
Step 3. Dry lima beans or similar beans at 60 ° C for the first hour
Gradually increase the temperature up to 70 ° C, until the beans are almost ready. Then reduce the temperature to 55 ° C.
Method 3 of 5: Baked - Method # 2
Step 1. Try to keep the oven temperature at 60 ° C for the long beans until they are dry
Set the oven to a low or "warm" temperature. Or you can put the bottom shelf tray at a distance of 20 cm from the base of the oven.
Step 2. If necessary, check the temperature with a food thermometer
Step 3. Lower the temperature 5 degrees or turn off the oven briefly to prevent the beans from cooking or becoming caramelized
Method 4 of 5: With Wire & Air
Step 1. Thread the beans into a string
Make sure they are about 1-2 cm apart. To insert the clean thread into the beans, use a sewing needle.
Step 2. Hang the bean strings in a dark, well-ventilated, non-cold, dry room
This way, the beans will dry out in 1-2 weeks.
Method 5 of 5: With the Sunlight
Step 1. Sprinkle the steamed beans on special trays for drying food
Step 2. Cover the beans with a fabric net with slits no wider than 1-2mm
This way the beans will be protected from insects or debris.
Step 3. Arrange the trays with the beans directly under the sunlight
Place them on a shelf or on bricks that allow the trays to circulate the air even from underneath.
Step 4. Gently mix the beans with your fingers several times a day
Step 5. At night, place the trays under cover and cover them with cardboard or a clean sheet to protect them from dew
Alternatively, you can put the trays inside the house. If the weather is dry, you won't need to cover them.
Step 6. In the morning, place the trays back in the sun
Step 7. From day two onwards, check the drying level of the beans
The green ones, the eat-all or the wax ones will be ready and free of moisture when they start to crumble easily. Instead, lima beans or similar are ready when hard and crumbly.
Advice
- It is recommended to use nylon nets as they are easy to clean.
- After drying the beans, it is always best to pasteurize them before storing them.
- To make it easier to dry the beans evenly, rotate the trays every half hour.
- If you want to dry the beans at home, it is recommended that you sew them using fine butcher's threads.
Warnings
- Do not keep the beans all day in the sun or they may harden or form an outer crust that would prevent them from drying well inside.
- Do not use the top rack of the oven and, to prevent steam from escaping from that area, place parchment paper on the top of the oven.
- Never use aluminum, copper, galvanized metal or plastic trays that are not suitable for food or for drying food.
