Dehydrating green beans.

I have a 5 tray Excalibur dehydrator which is wonderful. I love the intense flavor of dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Green beans are a little different because you have to soak them first.


Instructions for Dehydrating Green Beans:

1. Wash the vegetables
2. Snip off ends and cut into desired length
3. Steam blanch for 4 minutes, then soak in iced water for 4 minutes.
4. Drain the vegetables.
5. Place green beans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 45 minutes.
6. Dehydrate green beans at 110F for 24 to 30 hours (depends on the weather where you are and when you do it) until desired crispness.
7. Store dried green beans in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool dark location. (Light can cause discoloration)

You can add dried green beans directly to soups and stews… just add a little extra liquid to the recipe.

To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 2 hours, or in hot water for 1 hour.

A friend from Appalachia tells how her family hung strings of beans behind the woodstove to make "leatherbritches beans," which taste amazing, by the way. They are ugly.

Are you sure the ones you saw at the store weren't freeze dried?