Preserving Beans in Salt

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 89, 7 March 1941, Page 46

Preserving Beans in Salt

Dear Aunt Daisy, I would like to reassure any people who may hesitate about preserving their runner beans by the old fashioned method of putting them down in jars just raw, with layers of salt. I have always preserved beans this way — just strong and cut up the beans as usual and put alternate layers of beans and salt, about half an inch of salt then a couple of inches of beans. There is no need to make them airtight-just put a saucer or plate over the top of the jar and a weight on that to keep it down. Always have the top layer of salt, and the brine which forms both preserves and also keeps out

the air. Never use iodised salt for this purpose, just plain kitchen salt or dairy salt. You need not do a whole big jar at once, but add to it as you get new fresh beans. Wash them well under a running tap before using them in the winter. You gave a new recipe for this purpose last year which I used with even better results than usual. The beans I used were all scarlet runners, and people could hardly believe they were not eating fresh ones, they were so perfect. The recipe was 22 lbs, of beans, 1 Ib. of salt, and 1% Ib. of sugar. Cut up the beans and put into’ a bowl. Mix the sugar and salt. well and sprinkle over the beans, Leave overnight. Next day pack in jars, and pour over brine which formed, covering them well. Keep in a cool place. Wash and cook as usual. I preserved one large stone jar full besides a dozen and a-half of the half-gallon jars, and had no failures. Wishing you every success in your great work.-Mrs, D (New Plymouth). That letter will inspire many housekeepers to preserve scarlet runners by this easy method, and it is very good of you to write,