How should I boil green beans to keep them crisp?
I just pulled fresh Blue Lake Bush green beans from my garden, snapped the ends and wanted to boil them, while keeping then crisp. How should I boil them so they are cooked through, but not limp?
Best Answer
You shouldn't cook more than a few minutes, and should cool them as quickly as possible afterwards. Ideally, you'll be blanching them, and here's how:
- Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt in it to a roiling boil
- Dump beans in, and cook for a few minutes
- Check that beans are fully cooked (time will vary by variety and ripeness of beans)
- Strain beans, and IMMEDIATELY transfer to an prepared ice water bath to cool as fast as possible
This ensures beans are precisely cooked, but do not have a chance to over-cook, and using the ice water helps them retain color and flavor.
It's how we get deliciously crisp haricot vert (French green beans) at the restaurant I work for. Note that cooking times and crispness will also vary based on the variety and age at which the beans were picked.
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Quick Answer about "How should I boil green beans to keep them crisp?"
Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with the salt. Carefully add the green beans to the water using a slotted spoon and boil for about 4-5 minutes, or until crisp tender. Begin checking on them after 3 minutes to ensure they do not overcook. Drain the green beans in a colander in the sink.How do you keep green beans crisp after cooking?
Cool the beans in a bowl of ice water. After the beans have cooled, take them out of the ice water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Cool the beans for the same amount of time that you boiled them.How do you keep green beans crispy?
\u201cStore unwashed fresh bean pods in a plastic bag kept in the refrigerator crisper. Whole beans stored this way should keep for about seven days,\u201d she says. If you plan to use them in an upcoming meal, wash them under running water. Remove both ends of the beans by either snapping them off or cutting them with a knife.How long boil green beans crisp tender?
Carefully add the green beans into the boiling water. Cook until crisp and tender, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, transfer the green beans into the ice water.How do you keep green beans from getting rubbery?
Cook the beans: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt. Cook the beans for 5 minutes, then start checking them for done-ness. They should be tender but still crisp, without squeaking between your teeth when you chew them.How to Cook Green Beans Like a Pro
More answers regarding how should I boil green beans to keep them crisp?
Answer 2
BobMcgee's answer (the accepted one) is great (as far as it goes), as well as all of the comments. Absolutely salt the water, use stock or add flavorings if you like.
You can blanch the beans way in advance of the meal, even the day before.
Remove the beans from the ice water, shake to remove excess water, roll them in a paper towel and put them in your vegetable drawer in your fridge (or in a plastic bag, NOT sealed).
When it is time to eat, give the now dry beans a quick, hot saute in whatever you want! Olive oil, butter, sesame oil, garlic, shallots - whatever floats your boat.
That method works great for a lot of vegetables.
Answer 3
I don't know if Blue Lake Bush green beans are different, but UK green beans reliably take just 8 mins steaming.
Answer 4
The cooking time of green beans can vary quite a bit. It will be at least 10-15 min, sometimes it can go up to 30 minutes.
I advise you to cook them for about 10 minutes and taste one. Do so every two-three minutes until you have them a tiny bit too hard for your taste. After that, you will fry the beans (for example with oil/butter and onion) which will make them a bit softer, as you like them.
Answer 5
Every green bean is different. Sometimes even from the same vine picked at different times the bean will be more tender and sweet than at other times requiring less cooking time.
The beans will release certain chemicals into the water which will turn them a dark green so use a very high water to bean ratio and salted water also helps keep the beans bright green.
Because each batch of beans are different it's hard to say how long it will take, but if cooked too long they become mushy and a little too waxy. The general rule is when the bean is no longer squeaky on the teeth when bit into it's done. Chew on a partially cooked green bean and you will understand.
The Blue Lake require far more cooking than a snap pea or snow pea and shouldn't be expected to have the same crunch when cooked properly. The squeak needs to go away.
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