pinto beans - summer vegetable prep

Today we are talking about pinto beans. Not the canned type silly, fresh pinto beans! Usually this time of the year there's harvest of beans, bushels of bushels of them! The local grocer is a good reminder when they post these in their flyers. And my MIL called and asked "wanna do beans?" Sure? "You do them and freeze them." she says. No idea what "doing beans" meant, but I love beans so yaas I'm absolutely in.

Pinto beans are red and white when raw. When you buy them in a can the color already came out a bit due to the cooking process so it's often a beige color. When raw, in their shells or out of the shells, these beans are distinctively colorful, patterned, and gorgeous. These are also incredibly nutritious: loads of protein, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and iron. Hello, that's just awesome. 

The beans were already dried when I got there. And I learnt "doing beans" meant to just peel them - "just" pop the beans out of their shells. We had 3 bushels - which is not really a weight measure, so fam I have no idea how much work this is. Anyway, beans were laid out on the backyard and have been dried for a couple of days in the sun, so the shells are more crispy and have a sun-dried brownish color. This makes it easier to shell them.

What you need:

- 3 bushels of beans

- hands, bowls, big tarp, garbage bags, outdoor speaker, music

- beer, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, snacks (this is not optional, trust)

Recipe:

- first, lay out the tarp and spread out the beans on the tarp, leave it sun drying for 3 days or so. make sure you turn them from time to time to the sunning is even, and no wet rotting spots start to develop.

- spread out on a large dry area, maybe your back patio or concrete surface like garage or drive way. You don't want the beans rolling everywhere. Also easy clean up.

- give each participant a bowl, also a couple of garbage bags to throw peels in. tell the participants to pinch, drop, and toss. That's pinch the shell, drop the beans, toss the empty shell.

- supply beers, food, and music. Encourage the participants by making this a competition. 

- once all done, bag them in ziplocks and freeze. They can last you into the fall and winter.. if you don't go through them too fast. We only ended up with about 4-5 big freezer zip lock packs out of the 3 bushels.

- the been shells are then garbage, but I'm told, if you have livestock, they love to eat it. So if you live on the farm, pigs, horses, donkeys - are great recipients of bean shells.

- reward participants with more beer and bean soup for dinner. especially after spending all day with the stuff peeling them, the dinner was extra satisfying. 

We did this on a summer day that was 30 degrees, 34 with humidity - absolutely bonkers. We had shade for the most part but omg it was so hot and sunny. With some ice cold bevvy and some summer jams, not the most terrible way to spend on afternoon with family. I now have a big freezer pack of these gorgeous beans. will definitely make them into some great dishes. Stay tunes you beautiful people! I am stoked!