Freezing Fresh Green Beans

If you've been spoiled like me eating fresh green beans and dread the end of the season and going back to factory frozen or canned green beans, you should know that freezing green beans is the easiest way to have them year round.

Many people prefer to freeze green beans as opposed to canning them. Freezing is much less time consuming and requires fewer tools. Canning requires jars, lids, and a pressure cooker along with having to boil the jars and lids prior to using them. It can be a bit of work. Freezing green beans requires a pot to boil the water, a bowl for ice water and freezer bags, or a foodsaver.

Frozen beans will last between 12 and 18 months in the freezer.

Please check out our page of questions and answers about freezing and canning green beans.

How to freeze fresh green beans

Freezing is accomplished in a few very simple steps.

1) Choose the freshest green beans you can find.

2) Rinse your green beans in cool water. Drain.

3) Cut the ends of the beans off. Cut the beans to whatever length you prefer.

4) Put the green beans into rapidly boiling water, cover the pot and boil them for 3 minutes. (You can re-use this water three to five times - but make sure it's brought back to a rolling boil).

5) Use a large slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the boiling water and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Keep them in the ice water for 3 minutes. Drain them well.

6) If you have a FoodSaver a great time to use it is right now. If you don't, put the green beans into ziplock freezer bags. Make sure you get as much air out of the ziplock bag as possible to help prevent freezer burn.

7) Get ready to enjoy farm fesh green beans whenever you want!


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