I've grown amazing scarlet runner beans for the first time this year. I've never dried beans before...so I was wondering a) when to harvest them (i've read wait until the pod dries on the vine, but this stops the flowering) b) how to dry them...is it ok just to air dry them? how long does it take? c) can they be cooked fresh out of the pod, and if so, or otherwise, any recommendations? Thanks so much! TG

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2003

Answers

Basically, let nature take its course. The pods will mature from the bottom up and keep flowering and setting new pods along the way. Harvest the pods when they become dry and brittle. They will turn from green to a tan color. Simply shell the beans and allow them to dry until the beans shatrer (not smash) when struck with a hammer. This is a good level of moisture content for storage.

I have not tried them as "shelly beans" (shelled when mature but not dry). I have eaten them in soups as part of a multi-bean mix and they were quite good.

Regards,

Mike D.

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2003