broad-beans - skin on - or off?

[simonineaston]

So the first of my broad-beans are ready There's no denying that fresh broad-beans are beans of two halves. The inside, once cooked, is soft and full of broad-beany goodness & flavour, the skin is where the texture lies. Do you remove the skin before eating or do you believe this exercise belongs in the box marked, "Life's Too Short" alongside peeling grapes?

[Bonefishblues]

I'm an on by breeding, but do accept that off is a nicer taste, so do de-skin, more often than not.

[Paulatic]

You learn something new everyday
I’d never done, seen or heard of it. I’ve Googled it and yes people do it. Amazing

[simonineaston]

This year's crop seems to be either large plump beans with skins like a rhino's, or delicate little baby beans...

[Bonefishblues]

You learn something new everyday
I’d never done, seen or heard of it. I’ve Googled it and yes people do it. Amazing

Yep, it the reduction ratios mean that:

A kilo of pods = 300g of shell-ons = about 150g of naked beans

[Paulatic]

This year's crop seems to be either large plump beans with skins like a rhino's, or delicate little baby beans...

Looking out the window at mine the flowers are just ending and Pods are just forming They are looking good and can’t wait but certainly won’t be taking the skin off.

[mercalia]

hate the things

[Cyril Haearn]

Pictures please

[richardfm]

Young, fresh beans, skin on, delicious.
Old, tough beans, skin on or off (who spends time skinning them?), horrible.

[gbnz]

Looking out the window at mine the flowers are just ending and Pods are just forming

Have to admit I've made a "mental" note of a couple of fields locally where beans are being grown this year. Suppose technically it'll be theft, but given that beans aren't a standard crop in the area, it's worth the risk (Nb. Won't be more than a few pod's and a fraction of those lost by inefficient harvesting - though I'm not clear as to whether they're being grown primarily to improve the soil, perhaps being fed to the cows at some date)

[Paulatic]

Looking out the window at mine the flowers are just ending and Pods are just forming

Have to admit I've made a "mental" note of a couple of fields locally where beans are being grown this year. Suppose technically it'll be theft, but given that beans aren't a standard crop in the area, it's worth the risk (Nb. Won't be more than a few pod's and a fraction of those lost by inefficient harvesting - though I'm not clear as to whether they're being grown primarily to improve the soil, perhaps being fed to the cows at some date)

Could be for animal feed and specifically sometimes for pigeons. We grew them for pigeon feed back in the sixties and with the equipment we had then they were a nightmare to harvest.
An agricultural merchant I dealt with once told me how much a month supplying pigeon food is worth to them. Can’t recall the exact ammount now but it was staggering. I didn’t realise there must be so many lofts.

[gbnz]

[ sometimes for pigeons. .

Oop's. Don't mention pigeons, I have a guilty history

Have to to admit that when briefly residing in a farm cottage several years back, a couple of homeless "homing" pigeons had made home in my "bike shed". The farmer and neighbours detested the former tenant who'd encouraged them by feeding. I detested the pigeons who'd crap all over my bikes, particularly the compact framed, road bike I was still using then

But the ease with which pigeons heads come off, reaally took me by surprise. Aside from one who got away (NB. Quickly asked the gamekeeper next door to shoot it - the farmer and neighbours applauded my efforts )

[Paulatic]

[ sometimes for pigeons. .

Oop's. Don't mention pigeons, I have a guilty history

Have to to admit that when briefly residing in a farm cottage several years back, a couple of homeless "homing" pigeons had made home in my "bike shed". The farmer and neighbours detested the former tenant who'd encouraged them by feeding. I detested the pigeons who'd crap all over my bikes

But the ease with which pigeons heads come off, reaally took me by surprise. Aside from one who got away (NB. Quickly asked the gamekeeper next door to shoot it - the farmer and neighbours applauded my efforts )

You were only meant to neck it not pull it’s bloody head off.

[Cyril Haearn]

Thread drift alert
Surely nobody peels or skins broad beans

[iandriver]

Hmm, I wonder how much of the fibre is in the skin. One of the great things about home growing, pick them small.

As for peeling, depends on the recipe. A few peeled as more of a garnish might be nice. Or puree them. Here's one I like, removed the problem as it's pureed https://vegeyum.wordpress.com/2017/11/1 ... ean-puree/