Runner beans can be harvested from July or August depending on the variety and sowing time. You can remove the soil by hand or with scissors. You can find out how to cut your runner beans and then process them in the kitchen here.
How do you cut runner beans correctly?
To cut runner beans, first wash them, then remove the stems and tops with a sharp knife. For stringy beans, remove the strings from both sides and halve long beans if necessary.
Cut or snap runner beans for harvest?
Whether you remove your runner beans by hand or with scissors or a knife is basically up to you. Clipping them off by hand is a little quicker, but the beans can irritate the skin of sensitive people. Cutting the beans by hand while wearing gloves is not recommended. If you want to cut your runner beans, make sure the cutting tool you use is clean and sharp.
Tip
If you want to save time and work, you should cut the runner beans just below the caps that connect the runner bean to the plant. This hard part needs to be removed before cooking anyway.
Cutting the runner beans in the kitchen
Before cooking, you should cut your runner beans. Two things in particular are removed:
- the little hats with tips and stems
- possible threads
How to do it step by step
- First wash your runner beans thoroughly under clean water.
- Then, using a sharp straight-bladed knife on a wooden board, cut off the stems and tops. Be sure to use a board for this, otherwise you will definitely cut your skin little by little.
- If your runner beans are stringy, pull off the thread completely on one side along with the tip.
- Then pull the thread on the other side from the bottom tip.
- If your runner beans are very long, it makes sense to cut the beans in half.
Tip
If you want to save yourself the hassle of removing the annoying threads, why not sow a threadless runner bean variety next year! Here you will find an overview of the tastiest varieties without threads.
Preserving runner beans
Did you harvest too many runner beans? Then make them last! You have these options:
- Freeze runner beans: To do this, blanch the beans briefly and then put them in freezer bags or boxes.
- Cooking runner beans: After cooking until soft, the beans are sealed airtight in jars.
- Drying runner beans: Green beans can also be dried, in the air or in the oven. They will then last for several months
