Dried Beans Versus Fresh Shelled Beans

Types of Shelled Beans

Dried beans are mature seeds that have dried in the pod on the plant. Probably the most common type of dried beans are ones you have purchased in the supermarket in one-pound bags. If you allow bean plants in your garden to mature and the seed pods dry on the plant, you can harvest your own dried beans.

Among the many forms of dried beans are navy beans, great northern, black beans, black-eyed peas, cranberry beans, kidney beans, lima or butter beans, and pinto beans.

Fresh shelled beans are young, tender green seeds from well-filled pods. Examples are lima or butter beans, pinto beans, and soybeans.

Both dried beans and fresh shelled beans can be canned, but the procedures for preserving each differs. However, both are low acid foods and must be processed in a pressure canner to control microorganisms, especially the Clostridium botulinum spores.

Canning

Dry Beans
Regardless of the type of dried bean used, select mature beans, sort and discard any defective or discolored beans. Dried beans must be rehydrated for canning either by covering with water and soaking for 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator or covering with boiling water and boiling 2 minutes followed by a 1-hour soak. Remember to drain the soaked beans because you want to use fresh water for cooking them. See the link for complete instructions.

Rehydrated dried beans can be canned as plain beans. Dried peas are canned using the same directions. These are suitable for use as a side dish flavored with butter and herbs or as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, skillet dishes, salads, or mashed for refried beans or in burritos.

Dried beans can be prepared as beans in tomato or molasses sauce or as baked beans which are then used as side dishes or in casseroles.

You may notice that plain dried beans and beans in tomato or molasses sauce are only partially cooked in the boiling liquid before being packed into the jars for processing. They finish cooking during the processing step. Baked beans are completely cooked before being packed into jars for processing.

Warning: 

1. Do not can dry beans without rehydrating (soaking) the beans. There is no research to show the practice of putting dry beans into jars, covering them with water and putting them in the pressure canner is safe. A safe process time is partially dependent on the texture of the food, the temperature of the food and liquid and the weight of the food in the jars. Dry beans sitting in water at the start of the process time will not heat up at the same rate as beans that have been rehydrated.
2. Do not can dry beans without adding liquid.
3. Do not rehydrate dry beans by cooking in a slow cooker because it doesn't reach a temperature adequate to destroy a harmful compound, "phytohaemagglutinin," called kidney bean lectin. According to Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State Extension, this is especially a problem in red kidney beans where it is more concentrated.
4. Do follow a scientifically tested recipe exactly.
5. Remember to make adjustments in the pounds pressure for processing if you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet.

Fresh Shelled Beans

1. Select tender well-filled pods with green seeds.
2. Discard insect and disease damaged beans.
3. Shell and wash beans under running water.
4. Fresh shelled beans may be packed into jars as a hot pack or a raw pack.

Remember:

1. Always pressure can beans.
2. Use process times for dried beans and not green or string beans. The process times for dried beans is longer than for green beans because the product is denser and heat is transferred by conduction rather than by convection.

Freezing

Fresh Shelled Beans
Lima, butter or pinto beans can be frozen when the seed is still in the green stage. After washing, shelling and sorting, they are water blanched for 2 to 4 minutes according to size, cooled, drained, and packaged. Tray freezing before packaging makes it easier to remove the amount desired from the package.

Drying Pod Beans

To dry beans, leave bean pods on the vine in the garden until the beans inside rattle. When the vines and pods are dry and shriveled, pick the beans and shell them. No pretreatment is needed if the beans are completely dry. If there is still moisture present, the beans will mold. Drying can be completed in the sun, oven or a dehydrator. Vine dried beans need to be treated in the freezer or the oven to kill insects and their eggs. Freeze at 0°F (-18°C) or below for at least 48 hours or place in a single layer on a tray or shallow pan in a preheated oven at 160°F (71°C) for 30 minutes.

References:

Andress, E. & Harrison, J.; So Easy to Preserve, Bulletin 989, 2020, University of Georgia.

Blakeslee, K.; "Cooking Dry Beans Safely", Kansas State University Cooperative Extension, (2017, October 13).

"Dry or Can Those Legumes", (2022, May 29). Clemson Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia.

Laborde, L; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A.; "Let's Preserve:  Drying Fruits and Vegetables", (2019, March, 13).

National Center for Home Food Preservation; "Preserving Food: Drying Fruits and Vegetables".

Yerxa, K.; "All About Dried Beans, Peas and Lentils", University of Maine Cooperative Extension.(2021, August, 12).