Someone in this family, who shall remain nameless, loves green beans so much that they are a staple in the garden every year. In the last few years, we have had an escalating occurrence of tough, stringy, flat beans which are to no one's liking, including he who shall remain nameless. This has led us to research why our beans are too tough and what can be done to remedy beans that are tough and stringy.
Why are My Beans Tough and Stringy?
Some beans are referred to as string beans, as they have a string that is often removed prior to cooking, lest the beans are too fibrous to eat. All beans are at their peak when freshly picked with tender young pods. One reason beans are fibrous, tough, and stringy may simply be that they are picked past their prime. Pod diameter, NOT length is the best indicator for harvesting beans, and freshness can be confirmed by an audible snap when the bean is broken. If you find that you have been remiss of late picking your beans and now find that what remains are large, tough beans, they can still be used. When beans are overly mature, try shelling them and cook the interior “shellies.” Don't try to pickle them, as the skins are too tough, so the interior bean does not absorb the brine, resulting in tasteless, chewy pickles. These over developed beans can also be canned or chopped and frozen to add to casseroles, soups, etc. On a cooking note, regarding tough green beans, you may be undercooking them. Fresh beans are tender and generally require a short cooking time, but if you're dipping them in boiling water and then pulling them out or only let them steam for 30 seconds, you may end up with, hmm, maybe not tough, stringy beans, but simply undercooked ones. The web has many ideas for properly cooking green beans, but I disagree with most of them. The cooking times are so long that there isn't any nutrition or texture left to the poor things. We steam our beans, whole, for no longer than seven to eight minutes, but how you decide you like your beans is a matter of personal taste.
Additional Reasons Why Beans are Tough
The quality of bean seeds being planted may be the culprit. Since beans have a short shelf life and producers wanted to lengthen that life, beans have been bred to last longer once picked. This selective breeding has made for beans that are longer lasting, but sometimes tougher than our heirloom varieties. Therefore, planting hybridized seeds may be the problem, or at least part of it. Try planting good quality heirloom bean varieties next time around. Also, weather plays a large part in the end result of bean yield and quality. Overly hot temperatures as beans are forming may engender a degree of toughness. High temps interfere with pollination and adequate irrigation, which affects the bean crop as a whole. Plant beans, allowing adequate time for maturation before temperatures become excessively hot and keep the bean plants watered. Lastly, if you are routinely planting your beans in the same garden area, you may want to rotate because you may be depleting the soil of necessary nutrients that the beans need to form tender, delicate pods. A green manure planted between seedlings and then rototilled back into the soil prior to spring planting will do wonders amping up the soil nutrition again. Remember that half runner beans have a natural tendency for variations leading to flat or tough beans.
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FAQs
Overly hot temperatures as beans are forming may engender a degree of toughness. High temps interfere with pollination and adequate irrigation, which affects the bean crop as a whole. Plant beans, allowing adequate time for maturation before temperatures become excessively hot and keep the bean plants watered.
How do you fix tough beans? ›
We did several tests, but our favorite method was to use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per pound of old beans and to soak the beans for 4 hours. After the soaking stage, we rinsed the beans and added 1/4 teaspoon of fresh baking soda per cup of beans.
Why are my green beans tough and stringy? ›
When the seeds inside the pod are too large and mature, the bean pod becomes tough and stringy and is not as palatable. The mature bean inside the pod of a green bean can be shelled and used fresh like fava, butter, or broad beans, but the flavor will likely be inferior.
How do you soften tough string beans? ›
Fill a medium saucepan two-thirds full with water, add a tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the green beans and stir gently until the water returns to a boil. Cook until just tender but not mushy, about 4 to 4 ½ minutes.
What to do with beans that don't soften? ›
Use the power of baking soda to get dried beans to soften up faster. Rinse and sort your beans. Place them in pot and cover with water, sprinkle on a tablespoon or so of baking soda and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.
What causes tough beans? ›
Extremely hot temperatures while the bean is forming on the vine can cause a certain amount of toughness. High temperatures can also interfere with pollination which can also result in tough beans. Also, remember that the half-runner type bean has natural tendencies for genetic variations such as flat or tough beans.
How do you keep green beans from being rubbery? ›
Steamed green beans can become rubbery if they are overcooked. To avoid this, make sure to steam them just until they are tender-crisp and still bright green (3-4 minutes).
What causes stringy runner beans? ›
Avoid leaving the beans on the plant for too long or they'll turn stringy. Ideally, you should pick beans every day or two to ensure optimum tenderness and remember, the more you pick, the more pods your plants will produce.
How to make beans soft easily? ›
Hot soaking is the preferred method since it reduces cooking time, helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances in beans, and most consistently produces tender beans. Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans.
How do you soften bean threads? ›
The most magical thing about bean thread noodles is that you don't really need to cook them! They are the real “instant noodle” because all you need to do is soak them in hot water. No need to actively boil. After a hot soak for a few minutes they should be translucent, tender, with a perfect springy texture!
Bring cold water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Add beans and salt, and return to a simmer; cover. Bake beans in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to ensure beans are still covered with water. If necessary, add just enough water to cover.
Why are my green beans tough and fibrous? ›
One reason beans are fibrous, tough, and stringy may simply be that they are picked past their prime.
Why do my green beans have strings? ›
Green beans used to have characteristic fibrous "strings" running down the length of the pod that had to be removed bean by bean, just like snap peas. But thanks to careful breeding, they were eliminated in the 19th century. Today, only heirloom varieties of green beans tend to have strings.
How do you cook green beans so they are not stringy? ›
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove the beans and immediately immerse in the ice water long enough to cool completely, about 15 seconds. Drain and place on paper towels to dry.
Why are my beans still hard after cooking? ›
Similarly to hard water, acidic ingredients can keep your beans from softening. If you add acidic ingredients before the beans finish cooking, they will remain hard and tough.
What to add to beans to make it soft? ›
Baking soda can also work wonders in helping to make beans soften faster when it is being cooked as adding a little amount of soda to the beans being cooked helps to soften the beans. However, do this with caution as the beans might get over soft if the soda is added late and in excess.
What is the best way to tenderize beans? ›
If it's the whole pot, start over with fresh beans or buckle in for a looooong, slow cook—and add a pinch of baking soda: The baking soda increases the pH of the liquid (the opposite effect of adding acid to the mix!), naturally making the beans more tender.
How much baking soda do you add to beans to prevent gas? ›
To degas with baking soda, add a teaspoon of baking soda to 4 quarts of water. Stir in the dried beans and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let the beans soak at least four hours (I usually do this the night before I want to use them; the longer soak won't hurt them). Drain, rinse and rinse again.
