Thursday, November 20, 2014

How to Cook Dehydrated Green Beans (Shuck Beans)








We used to go south every Thanksgiving, sit down to dinner and devour my mother-in-laws shuck beans (dehydrated green beans).   As we would go back home she would pack us up enough shuck beans for a meal or two, so that we could cook them when we went home.  Then she was always ready, sitting by the phone I think, waiting for our call asking "how do we make these things?"

As they have gotten older we have had to rely on our own supply of shuck beans.  Keep in mind that we now live in Michigan where our daily sunshine could equal out to three hours or less (just my opinion), then add that in with a great dose of humidity, drying green beans in the sun is out of the question.  We have come to depend on our dehydrator,  which makes them just like his Mom's. There is just one tiny difference, they are green instead of brown looking after they have been dried in the hot Kentucky sun.  Thank goodness that they taste the same!









Here we are at that time of year again when the snow has started to fly and we dream of having those shuck beans ready for dinner.  


Recipe:  How to Cook Shuck Beans (Dehydrated green beans)  

Printable recipe 

No matter how you've dried your green beans here is my recipe for making them.  


1. Start out the night before with approximately 1 1/2 cups of dried green beans and soak them overnight with enough water to cover. 

They should look like this in the morning.




2. Drain then rinse green beans a couple of times.  Put dried green beans in pan with enough water to cover.   Add one Tbsp. of shortening or oil along with a couple of slices of bacon if you have it.  Then add 1 Tbsp. of Salt.  

3. Cook on medium heat adding water when necessary.   Watch carefully!

4.  Cook until done approximately 4 hours.









A great way to heat the house on a cold day!  


Have you heard of shuck beans?

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This post has been linked to The Weekend Social at Kitchen Dreamin, Creativity Unleashed Party at Practically Functional, From the Farm Blog Hop at Lady's She's Home, Say G'Day at Natasha in Oz, Snickerdoodle Sunday at 2 Crochet Hooks, Saturday Night Fever at Belle of the Kitchen. The Clever Chicks Blog Party at The Chicken Chick, Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Tuesdays Table at Love from the Kitchen, Making a Home-Homemaking Linky at Lindas Lunacy.



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just found this post. I dry beans and wanted to know more ways to use them. Thank you for sharing your family favorite. Now it is a part of my recipe box and your web site is noted in the recipe. Thank you again ! :) Sarah

Fred said...

Growing up in SE KY we dried shuc beans each and every year on tin . We would put them out every day and rush to bring them in if rain was predicted. After a few days in the sun my mother put them in a pillowcase and we cooked them at all the holidays. We used white half runner beans back then or sometimes pole cornfield beans. I dried some beans last year and am soaking them to eat today ,early April, just could not wait til the holidays, lol. The smell of the beans soaking brings me back 50 or 60 years ago to my mother's kitchen.

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

We have a lot right now and I need to get making some too. We could eat them anytime not just for the holidays. I love that soaking bean smell and the smell of when they are cooking. Yes we use white half runner but my husband says pole cornfield beans are the best. Wish he could get the seed! I know you are having a wonderful dinner tonight!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

I hope you love them Sarah!