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Wayne Boatwright
 
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Default My green bean are too tough (horrors!)

(Amelia) wrote in news:af85e71d.0312251218.5607bb56
@posting.google.com:

> Why are my fresh green beans tough when I follow the directions that
> include boiling them for 5 minutes at a full boil followed with a ice
> water bath. Is it simply a function of cooking time, or is there
> more?
> Thanks for the help.
>


Some green beans may be old and can remain tough regardless of how long one
reasonably cooks them.

Assuming the beans you bought are not old, it really is a function of
cooking time. Use 5 minutes only as a guide, but continue cooking and
testing at intervals until they reach the degree of tenderness you want.
10-15 minutes is not unusual.

The ice water bath simply halts the cooking process at that point. If to
be served later hot, the beans need only to be plunged into boiling water
for about a minute to re-warm them.

HTH

Wayne