People have asked me how to use freeze-dried green beans and other fruits and vegetables. Today, I will show you how to start by opening the can. You may laugh, but sometimes people fear opening the box or the can. What do I do next? It’s so overwhelming, it’s not, trust me, my friends. Let’s do it!
Of course, a good can opener helps, that’s for sure. Can Openers, Commercial Can Openers, and Electric Can Openers.
How To Use Freeze-Dried Green Beans
I decided to start with freeze-dried green beans first, they are great for side dishes, and of course, the green bean casserole, recipe below. If they were dehydrated green beans you have to hydrate them longer and cook them longer because they are processed differently than freeze-dried foods. Most freeze-dried foods you can eat directly out of the can.
Dehydrated food must be cooked usually in soups and stews, they are great because they are much cheaper but they do not taste as good as freeze-dried foods.
Freeze-Dried Green Beans Opening Cans
I’m using a #10 can today of freeze-dried green beans. They in six inches in diameter and seven inches tall. Now this particular can is failry full, not all cans are full, depending on the food item and the brand. I will only use part of the can and store the rest in mason quart jars. I. use this awesome funnel to fill my jars. Canning Funnel (perfect for regular or wide mouth jars).
Remove The Oxygen Absorber And Toss It
In case you weren’t aware when you open a can discard the oxygen absorber, it is no longer needed.
Freeze-Dried Green Beans Filling Jars
Now, if I am going to have green beans for dinner in the next month I use wide mouth screw on lids for unused dry freeze-dried green beans in the can. I can’t get these white ones anymore but the black ones are leak-proof which can be used for soups as well to store in the fridge. Ball Black Leak Proof Lids.
Freeze-Dried Green Beans With DicoRain
You have a couple of choices to save the uncooked freeze-dried green beans, you may remember Ray told us about the DicoRain, it is fabulous! DicoRain Vacuum Saver (you will use the wide mouth or regular mouth regular canning lids and rings with this unit).
Freeze-Dried Green Beans Covered In Water
Please soak your freeze-dried green beans according to your brand. According to my Thrive Life can, it says, soak the green beans for 5-7 minutes. I actually soaked them for ten minutes becuase I got side tracked. That’s how I roll, sometimes, LOL!
Freeze-Dried Green Beans Draining In Colander
Drain them in a colander and cook until desired doneness. I use this microwave cooker, I love it. Microwave Steamer/Drainer. I have the Pampered Chef one but this looks similar. I think I cooked mine six minutes, I checked for doneness and drained the excess water.
Freeze Dried Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
This recipe is one of our families favorites. It only needs cooked green beans, one can of cream of mushroom soup, pepper, milk and a six ounce package of French’s® French Fried Onions.
Freeze Dried Green Beans Cooked
Combine the milk with the pepper.
Green Bean Casserole Mixing Ingredients
Add the cooked green beans and 1/2 of the French’s® French Fried Onions. Stir until mixed through. Set the other 1/2 aside for later.
Green Bean Casserole In Pan
Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C). Grease a casserole pan and scoop the mixture into the pan. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole Ready To Bake
After the 25 minutes, pull the casserole out of the oven. Add the rest of the French’s® French Fried Onions and bake another 10 minutes or lightly browned and cooked through.
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1- 10-1/2 Ounce can of Cream of Mushroom (do not dilute)
- 1/2 cup of Milk
- 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce Optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 4-6 cups Fresh or frozen green beans or equal amounts of drained canned green beans (I like more green beans)
- 1-1/2 cups French's® French Fried Onions (6 ounce container)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C).
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Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.
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If using fresh green beans, cut off the ends and cut them into bite-size pieces. Steam until tender (about 5-7 minutes in a pot of boiling water), drain.
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Combine the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper, and set aside.
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Place the green beans into the greased baking dish.
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Sprinkle 1/2 of the French's® French Fried Onions over the green beans.
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Pour the soup mixture over this layer.
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Baked uncovered for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
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Sprinkle the remaining French's® French Fried Onions on top and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy.
Green Bean Casserole Option #2
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Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C).
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Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.
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Combine the ingredients and set aside 1/2 of the French's® Fried Onions to place on the top of the casserole.
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Baked uncovered for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
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Sprinkle the remaining French's® French Fried Onions on top and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy.
Freeze-Dried Food
Let me explain what freeze-dried food is in a nutshell. The first step to freeze-dried food begins with freezing. The second step is the frozen food is placed in a vacuum chamber under low heat. Then the third step starts when the frozen water crystals evaporate directly from ice to vapor which is a process called sublimation.
What’s really nice about freeze-dried food is the fact that it lasts longer, depending on the manufacturer. Please always look at the cans and see the shelf-life. You can eat the food directly out of the can and therefore uses a whole lot less fuel if any when it comes to meal preparation.
Freeze-dried foods usually have an open shelf-life of 1-2 years. Here again, please look at the #10 can or on the website of the said company.
Pros: Lasts 20-25 years, depending on the company where you purchase the food. You can also eat the food directly out of the can. You do not need to slice, chop, or cut the food into bite-size pieces.
Cons: It is more expensive, but remember you use less fuel.
Final Word
I hope my small tutorial on how to use freeze-dried green beans encouages you to try and use your long term food storage now. Practice makes perfect, right? Stay safe, stay healthy. May God Bless this world, Linda
The post How To Use Freeze-Dried Green Beans appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
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