Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What are the black dots on green beans? ›

The pod flecks are caused when spores of the fungus germinate and infect individual plant cell, which sends out a signal to surrounding cells to die. With the surrounding cells dead, the fungus cannot advance and only a small fleck results. This defense mechanism is referred to as hypersensitivity.

Infection and Spread

Spores, which are the primary means of dispersal, make up the bulk of the visible white, powdery growth. Powdery mildew spores can be easily carried by wind to new hosts. The spores can germinate and infect beans in the absence of free water.

It's best to store your fresh green beans in the fridge, otherwise store green beans in the freezer if you want them to last longer. You can also store unwashed and unblanched green beans in the refrigerator for up to about seven days before you need to store your green beans in the freezer.

Always discard any that smell foul or that are very wet and slimy. If your beans have a few brown spots, they are OK to consume. Just cut off the brown areas before cooking and eating.

Yet, if you eat them, lectins are resistant to digestive enzymes. Thus, they bind to the surface of cells in your digestive system, causing symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating if consumed in high amounts ( 2 ).

Fresh green beans in good condition will feel firm and should snap apart when bent. Older green beans that feel limp and have started to develop a slimy texture are no longer safe to eat. If you see any fuzzy mold on them, they are definitely too bad to eat.

» Bean rust, white mold, aerial Pythium, and anthracnose are important foliar diseases of bean caused by fungal pathogens. » Foliar diseases can occur from the seedling stage through harvest.

Slow cooling may cause flat-sour spoilage where the food smells like vinegar.

Bagged green beans usually stay good for around a week. After that they will start to feel slimy and may even grow mold if you leave them in the fridge for too long.

“Brown spots and bean seed shapes that are coming out of the shell means that they are starting to get old,” says Amidor. That means use them ASAP or be prepared to toss them in a day or so. And if the beans are already slimy and wet, they're no longer safe to eat.

Is it OK to eat old green beans? ›

Per Eat By Date, older green beans that are in the process of spoiling appear “limp and dry” with a “tough and rubbery” texture, with less likelihood to snap — as a fresh green bean should — when bent in half. If the pod feel wet or slimy, it means they're starting to “decompose”, and need to be thrown away.

Technically, you could freeze raw green beans but we don't recommend it. After freezing, the raw beans will be mushy in texture and flavorless. For the best results, don't skip the blanching process when freezing green beans. Dry the beans thoroughly before freezing.

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

Yes, green beans are good for dogs. They're packed with essential vitamins, like vitamin A, B6, K, and C. These offer numerous health benefits for dogs. For example, vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps strengthen the immune system, whereas vitamin A helps support vision and reproduction.

A classic description of an aging bean pod. They develop brown spots, their fibers toughen and, as the process continues, they will lose sweetness as their sugars are consumed from within. If not too far gone, changes in chlorophyll due to heat can mask the discoloration.

University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says it could be due to it being late in the season. It may also be naturally occurring on this type of green bean. Either way they are safe to eat.

Bacterial brown spot of beans is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pathovar (pv.) syringae (Pss). Pss has a very wide host range and can grow on many different plant species. There are different strains of the bacterium, and only specialized strains cause disease on beans.

This disease is best prevented by planting clean, disease-free seed. Gardeners who save their own seed should avoid planting seed from diseased plants, since anthracnose can survive on infected seed. Plant resistant cultivars whenever possible. Avoid working in the garden when plants are wet.