A Plate of Green Beans
December 2, 2024 9:49 AM Subscribe
Husband and I both like green beans and should eat more, but the way we like them varies quite a bit. I like the whole fresh ones, trimmed and roasted with oil, so they turn out similar to an asian style stir fry dish but less work. He likes them from a can, warmed up in a pot. How can I make both without a ton of extra work?
Obviously, I can just make both kinds, but I don't want to have twice the leftovers (cooked or uncooked). I am probably making a main dish and one other side when doing this, so simpler is preferred.
Part of the issue is my aversion to the smell of canned green things. I can open and heat them, but I don't want to keep them hanging around. The size of one can is probably too much for him, and the smell gets worse when you store half the can after opening, in the can or in another container doesn't matter. I also find those canned beans mushy. I want my beans crispy and probably over roasted by most people's standards, with brown spots on them. If I can recrisp canned ones, that is fine but I feel like they'd just steam more.
How would I turn some fresh beans into something resembling the canned version? Boiling for a long time with plenty of salt?
Obviously, I can just make both kinds, but I don't want to have twice the leftovers (cooked or uncooked). I am probably making a main dish and one other side when doing this, so simpler is preferred.
Part of the issue is my aversion to the smell of canned green things. I can open and heat them, but I don't want to keep them hanging around. The size of one can is probably too much for him, and the smell gets worse when you store half the can after opening, in the can or in another container doesn't matter. I also find those canned beans mushy. I want my beans crispy and probably over roasted by most people's standards, with brown spots on them. If I can recrisp canned ones, that is fine but I feel like they'd just steam more.
How would I turn some fresh beans into something resembling the canned version? Boiling for a long time with plenty of salt?
Response by poster: Boiled beans just do not appeal to me. Recipes for southern style beans have you cooking them for 25 minutes minimum and up to two hours... plus they all say the beans come out tender or soft. That might not be mushy, but that I not how I want them.
posted by soelo at 10:28 AM on December 2, 2024
posted by soelo at 10:28 AM on December 2, 2024
What I think phunniemee is suggesting is sautee yours for however long you like to make them al dente, even if it's 5 minutes, then pull yours out of the pan and continue braising your spouse's until they resemble soft canned beans. Use broth, seasonings, even bacon for both or just his stage.
There's no way to make them both fresh and canned-textured without cooking yours for a shorter time.
posted by ponie at 10:37 AM on December 2, 2024 [13 favorites]
There's no way to make them both fresh and canned-textured without cooking yours for a shorter time.
posted by ponie at 10:37 AM on December 2, 2024 [13 favorites]
That is what I do when my 105 year old mother in law is having dinner with us: sauté them all, remove ours when less than al dente, add water and cover and cook till the water evaporates, move hers to the side, add back ours and reheat.
posted by garbanzilla at 10:52 AM on December 2, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by garbanzilla at 10:52 AM on December 2, 2024 [5 favorites]
Yeah, take yours out when they’re basically just blanched (boiled for a few minutes) and then drain/dry them and toss with oil and whatever seasonings you want. Then you can stick them in the oven for less time then you normally roast them, quickly pan fry them, or put them under the broiler for a few minutes- whatever works best with the rest of your meal. Yours will get a little bit browned and his can keep boiling away until they reach the texture he likes.
posted by MadamM at 11:22 AM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by MadamM at 11:22 AM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
Now I want green beans...
There is no way to used canned GBs that you will enjoy. They are by default, mushy, smelly, and gross. So you just need to make yours, and use your extras for husband to boil until they are mushy. No idea how to duplicate the smell, which is a large part of taste.
posted by Windopaene at 11:30 AM on December 2, 2024 [5 favorites]
There is no way to used canned GBs that you will enjoy. They are by default, mushy, smelly, and gross. So you just need to make yours, and use your extras for husband to boil until they are mushy. No idea how to duplicate the smell, which is a large part of taste.
posted by Windopaene at 11:30 AM on December 2, 2024 [5 favorites]
steam green beans & separately toast sesame seeds. sesame seeds can be added as a topping in varying amounts, i.e. plate plain or a bit crispy[...], with brown spots on them.
posted by HearHere at 11:39 AM on December 2, 2024
posted by HearHere at 11:39 AM on December 2, 2024
Best answer: Another thought, especially if you're tired and want something quick, is to use frozen beans. You'll want to make sure you're buying frozen whole beans/haricots vert. Throw half in an air fryer for 10 mins at 400, shake em, and another 5-6 mins at 400 until they're toasty enough for you. Leave the other half in the bag, shake some salt over them (and a few shakes of ranch seasoning if u nasty), toss them around in the bag and fold on top of itself, then microwave them according to the package instructions.
posted by phunniemee at 11:47 AM on December 2, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 11:47 AM on December 2, 2024 [4 favorites]
If it is less work for you, I would also like to give you permission to do whatever you would normally do with the canned beans and then just toss the leftovers (or throw them in compost bin). Or even just cook with a half can of beans and toss the remainder in advance. It is less than $1 of beans and while know some people are adverse to waste, I hereby give you permission, in the name of marital harmony, to indulge in this small amount of waste.
posted by metahawk at 11:54 AM on December 2, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by metahawk at 11:54 AM on December 2, 2024 [3 favorites]
Maybe frozen beans for you, jarred for him, and freeze the leftover canned beans? (They won't get any better, but how could they get worse?) Though I'm with metahawk in that I wouldn't hold it against you if you threw out the remainder.
The advantage of frozen beans is that there should be at least one brand that freezes them in such a way that you can take out one portion at a time, so no waste on that end. (Also, they'll probably be trimmed already.) No need to defrost either, just start cooking/roasting while they're still frozen.
posted by demi-octopus at 12:24 PM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
The advantage of frozen beans is that there should be at least one brand that freezes them in such a way that you can take out one portion at a time, so no waste on that end. (Also, they'll probably be trimmed already.) No need to defrost either, just start cooking/roasting while they're still frozen.
posted by demi-octopus at 12:24 PM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Frozen green beans can be lightly cooked to be close to how you like and quickly overcooked in small portions to get very close to canned without as much waste. I'd put effort into your style, and microwave his portion in a cup of water. Low waste since you only need to use as much as you think y'all need.
posted by advicepig at 12:32 PM on December 2, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 12:32 PM on December 2, 2024 [2 favorites]
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013769-turkish-style-braised-green-beans
I have an aversion to canned vegetables and find these braised green beans (made with fresh beans) delicious. They're definitely soft, but not smelly. You can also take half of them out early to have a less soft portion. I initially made them without the sugar because why put sugar on vegetables, but it is extra delicious that way.
I think a long braise will work quite a bit better than a long boil.
posted by umwelt at 1:35 PM on December 2, 2024
I have an aversion to canned vegetables and find these braised green beans (made with fresh beans) delicious. They're definitely soft, but not smelly. You can also take half of them out early to have a less soft portion. I initially made them without the sugar because why put sugar on vegetables, but it is extra delicious that way.
I think a long braise will work quite a bit better than a long boil.
posted by umwelt at 1:35 PM on December 2, 2024
It's easy to take sides on this issue, I mean, canned green beans are objectively disgusting. But it also seems you have made a very simple dichotomy: either delicious crunchy roasted beans or horrible canned beans. And there is obviously a huge range between the two. In the past few years, I've been exploring the well-done tastes of yesteryear. During the 1970's, the nouvelle cuisine introduced lightly cooked vegs in France, inspired by Asian foods. And for many of us, that eventually became the new normal, what we grew up with and enjoy. But before that, vegetables were cooked through, and I've been wondering why and how. For instance, I've discovered that I like raw kale salads but I also like kale cooked for ages in milk or cream. I don't have to choose.
Now if you take your green beans and make them as a salad with a shallot vinaigrette, you could try a range of different cooking times for the beans. The recipe I've linked is for crunchy. But I suspect they would be even better if the beans were cooked just a bit longer because it does bring out different and interesting flavors. Your husband might like them cooked more than you and I would, but perhaps by trying out different textures and flavors, you could find a common ground.
posted by mumimor at 1:37 PM on December 2, 2024 [3 favorites]
Now if you take your green beans and make them as a salad with a shallot vinaigrette, you could try a range of different cooking times for the beans. The recipe I've linked is for crunchy. But I suspect they would be even better if the beans were cooked just a bit longer because it does bring out different and interesting flavors. Your husband might like them cooked more than you and I would, but perhaps by trying out different textures and flavors, you could find a common ground.
posted by mumimor at 1:37 PM on December 2, 2024 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Have not ever tried these but here is a pack of 4oz containers of green beans that you microwave.
posted by BoscosMom at 1:52 PM on December 2, 2024
posted by BoscosMom at 1:52 PM on December 2, 2024
It seems like by far the easiest thing to do is have him deal with his own canned green beans so you don't have to smell them. Freeze the leftovers instead of sticking them in the fridge.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:53 PM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by oneirodynia at 2:53 PM on December 2, 2024 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: He does the dishes and I don't mind cooking them - I just want some tips on streamlining two different prep methods.
posted by soelo at 2:57 PM on December 2, 2024
posted by soelo at 2:57 PM on December 2, 2024
I've done a blanch and sautee in the past and it works great - you'll just need to dry the beans you want for yourself. No more than a dab with a paper towel, just so things don't splatter when you add them to the oil. Then you can have the oil pretty hot and cook for a shorter amount of time, giving a much better sear without undercooking the beans. The only trick is that cooking raw beans in water is going to take longer than it takes for a blanch + sautee. you may just need to pull the sautee beans out and set them aside until just before the boiled beans are done.
growing up in the south, we always put some sort of salty meat in the water to flavor the beans - if flavor is an issue since they've not been sitting in a can, I'd recommend adding a slice of bacon or a chunk of sausage, or using vegetable stock instead of water. And salt everything well.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:54 AM on December 3, 2024 [1 favorite]
growing up in the south, we always put some sort of salty meat in the water to flavor the beans - if flavor is an issue since they've not been sitting in a can, I'd recommend adding a slice of bacon or a chunk of sausage, or using vegetable stock instead of water. And salt everything well.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 6:54 AM on December 3, 2024 [1 favorite]
Basically, yes, boiling fresh beans with salt will get you in the vicinity of canned beans. A good compromise for both of you (if you're interested) might be this blanched broccoli with toasted sesame oil . You could easily take your portion out just blanched-tender and boil your husbands' more to the texture he prefers.
posted by radiogreentea at 9:13 AM on December 3, 2024
posted by radiogreentea at 9:13 AM on December 3, 2024
Best answer: We use a lot of frozen vegetables. The usual thing is to microwave in a little water about three minutes, just enough to get them thawed and hot. I've found that leaves green beans squeakier than I like, so I now wave them another three or four more minutes on a low setting. With adjustments in time, that probably works with fresh beans too.
I think cutting the beans into smaller pieces may widen the acceptable ranges of various finenesses.
posted by SemiSalt at 9:36 AM on December 3, 2024
I think cutting the beans into smaller pieces may widen the acceptable ranges of various finenesses.
posted by SemiSalt at 9:36 AM on December 3, 2024
Response by poster: Thanks to all who suggested the microwave! I didn't think fresh beans to boiled would be that easy, but it did work okay. I did a test run with some trimmed beans last night microwaved in salty water. I only did 2 minutes because it was a small sample, but next time I'll go longer.
I am going to look at my options for frozen beans as well. Sometimes they come in a meal kit and fresh is my only option, but even if I just use the frozen ones for his portion, it is a great hack!
posted by soelo at 8:10 AM on December 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
I am going to look at my options for frozen beans as well. Sometimes they come in a meal kit and fresh is my only option, but even if I just use the frozen ones for his portion, it is a great hack!
posted by soelo at 8:10 AM on December 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
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posted by phunniemee at 9:55 AM on December 2, 2024 [3 favorites]