Pole Beans

[Holly Moore]

Got a bagful of pole beans because the owner of the farmers market recommended them.

Now what?

[therese]

1. String the beans (pole beans have serious strings), and snap into bite-size pieces.

2. Render some source of cured pork in a large pan (large enough to contain the beans, and with a cover that fits well). My grandmother typically used fat back, but you could use country ham or even conventional bacon.

3. Add the beans and water (how much? enough to cover the bottom of the pan with an inch or so, but nowhere near enough to cover the beans).

4. Cook the beans covered until they are tender. This will take quite a while, on the order of an hour or two. Add a bit of water as you go if needed.

The final product is very soft beans that will actually look a bit gray-green and taste very nicely of bean and cured pork together. The two halves of the bean will largely have separated, such that you'll readily see the seeds (which tend to look a bit pink).

[Jakea222]

Oh yeah - bacon fat! I add some onion to it too - the the same as above - My grandmom did that too! Holy cow - but if you miss a string - it makes for some serious choking hazards - My grand father grew them and man we ate a ton - had some red potatoes added too seems like I remember the potatoes were awesome with the bacon flavor!

[Kim Shook]

A couple of spoonsful of brown sugar are traditional in our family.

[Magictofu]

If young enough, they are great as is, simply steamed.

Otherwise, I love them with tomatoes... probably in part because you get them at the same time in summer. My favourite way to eat them is with tomatoe sauce and cheese!

[LindaK]

"Pole beans" doesn't really clarify what kind of beans they are, it just means they're the vining, climbing type (as opposed to bush beans). I've grown pole beans of various sorts, both the skinny French filet beans and the flat Italian romano beans, which definitely have strings. The former can be quickly cooked and enjoyed al dente, the latter require longer cooking and need to be cooked through. Folks here seem to be talking about the romanos.

depending on the dish, I love them both. I tend to use the thin beans in salads, such as a nicoise. The romanos hold up well in soups or any other long, slow cooking. Both are great on their own as side dish, tossed with a little salt, olive oil, and fresh basil. I like the idea of bacon or pork fat--maybe try them braised w/ pancetta and tossed with pasta, topped with some finely chopped parsley and grated parmesan?

[therese]

"Pole beans" doesn't really clarify what kind of beans they are, it just means they're the vining, climbing type (as opposed to bush beans). 

←

Technically true, but in the southeast the term has come to mean flat, stringed beans that require lengthy cooking to render them edible. The cured pork not only gives the beans a nice flavor, but means that they can more or less stand in for "meat" in an otherwise meat-poor diet.

[birder53]

So glad to see this! Free seeds in May, lots of flowers on the vines and now beans that are green but not your typical green beans. We picked about 20 today. They are probably romano beans. I'll give they a try tonight. There isn't any pork fat in the house, so I'll try the string, cut and water method. If they survive, they'll end up with the sauteed zuchinni in tonight's pasta.

[rancho_gordo]

"Pole beans" doesn't really clarify what kind of beans they are, it just means they're the vining, climbing type (as opposed to bush beans). 

←

Technically true, but in the southeast the term has come to mean flat, stringed beans that require lengthy cooking to render them edible. The cured pork not only gives the beans a nice flavor, but means that they can more or less stand in for "meat" in an otherwise meat-poor diet.

←

Wow. that's too bad. it's incredibly wrong!

I think what you're describing is an old fashioned string bean. And not so fresh.

There are many very delicate, delicious beans that can be steamed that grow as poles.

[Magictofu]

Almost any bean will be tender if picked young and tough and stringy when picked late.

They way to cook young and larger/tougher beans varies greatly.

[LindaK]

"Pole beans" doesn't really clarify what kind of beans they are, it just means they're the vining, climbing type (as opposed to bush beans). 

←

Technically true, but in the southeast the term has come to mean flat, stringed beans that require lengthy cooking to render them edible. The cured pork not only gives the beans a nice flavor, but means that they can more or less stand in for "meat" in an otherwise meat-poor diet.

←

Wow. that's too bad. it's incredibly wrong!

I think what you're describing is an old fashioned string bean. And not so fresh.

There are many very delicate, delicious beans that can be steamed that grow as poles.

True, which is why the term "pole bean" isn't helpful by itself. Clearly there are regional differences in nomenclature here. Whether they grow as pole or bush beans, romano style beans require long cooking. Conversely, the best thin, haricot vert style bean I ever grew was a pole bean, but most such varieties grow as bush beans. The important thing is to recognize your bean type so you can cook it correctly.

So I'm going to assume that the original question was about the flat romano style. they're among the tastiest beans ever, and I would love some new recipies.

[birder53]

Well, the beans were tasty. They had no strings. The skins were rough but they were tender after cooking. I cut them into 1" pieces, covered with cold water, a little salt, and let them simmer until tender. Tossed them into the sauteed zucchini and then added to pasta that was tossed with oil & garlic and lots of fresh parsley and basil. So, we're still not sure exactly what kind they are, but they are surely a nice addition to the dinner table.

[therese]

Wow. that's too bad. it's incredibly wrong!

I think what you're describing is an old fashioned string bean. And not so fresh.

There are many very delicate, delicious beans that can be steamed that grow as poles.

←

Let's not tell my grandmother that she was "incredibly wrong!".

And it doesn't get any fresher than picking them out of the garden that very day, I'm afraid. My grandmother grew a large variety of beans and peas and some of the terms she and her country farmer neighbors used have passed on, but this name to indicate this type of bean is still the norm in the southeast. These beans were prized specifically for their long-cooking properties, as they took well to canning, and the long cooking means that the bacon/pork flavor was distributed throughout.