leather britches

[randyt]

earlier today I strung up some pole beans to make up some leather britches. Hung them under a covered porch. It will be interesting to see how they dry. Later on it will be interesting to see how they taste.

I searched and searched the forum, thought we talked about this before.

[Rick]

I don't think I've ever had them. I've certainly never made them. This is an interesting method. I may have to give this a try. Did you string them before stringing them? Boy, that's a weird question. Did you remove the bean strings before sewing them up. I hope that's better.

[hunter63]

We called the shuck or shell beans while growing up.........

[Rick]

But you dried just the bean discarding the hull didn't you? I think this includes beans and hulls.

[randyt]

Didn't string them, just took a needle and thread and strung up a arms length. I threaded mine up through the middle of the green bean, not long ways but through the side.

[randyt]

these strung up beans are cooked bean and hull, basically a dehydrated green bean.

[hunter63]

Then don't let them dry too long....just till the get "leathery".....LOL.
I just strings thru the ends....hang in garage....if you miss the leather stage...now you have shelly beans.

[Rick]

I wonder if you could dehydrate them and still have the same thing? You wouldn't have to worry about ending up with brown, dried out husks.

Hunter - If dried too long do they end up like the bean that hid from harvest? Brown, papery hull?

[kyratshooter]

Leather jackets never dry to the brown husk, they just swivel up and wrinkle to a greenish brown tough texture. Before canning this was the preferred method of preserving green beans. Not all beans were preserved by drying them out like a rock.

My grandmother used to string them and hang them in the attic. She would string enough on each string for a "mess" of beans as she called it. Jut take down one string and it made a meal.

Cooking them is an experience. They have to simmer all day with a piece of fat pork. My people always used a cast iron pot, but I suppose any old pot will do. I remember them being a little on the salty side but that might have been due to cooking in salt pork or just my Grandmother's preference.

[hunter63]

I wonder if you could dehydrate them and still have the same thing? You wouldn't have to worry about ending up with brown, dried out husks.

Hunter - If dried too long do they end up like the bean that hid from harvest? Brown, papery hull?

Yes, that what I meant about "too long and becoming shelly beans"......Greenish brown hulls are the leather.....

And yeah, and cooked all day with salt pork or a hunk of fatty bacon.....

Never heard of stringing them length ways.....I would string them on the ends...one bean in (if that makes any sense.)

[Rick]

Yeah, it does. We buy bacon pieces specifically to add to green beans so there's bacon pieces, fat and strips around here all the time. This really sounds good!

[hunter63]

Around here they used to call them "bacon ends"....had a lot of meat on them...and are a favorite....except they figured out how good they are and raised the price...LOL.

[Winnie]

Around here they used to call them "bacon ends"....had a lot of meat on them...and are a favorite....except they figured out how good they are and raised the price...LOL.

Over here they're called Hocks. And the price has trebled in the last 5 years since these cheffy types got on TV. Shame, a pot of anything always tastes better with a Bacon hock in it.

[hunter63]

LOL...Yes it does....Agreed.

[randyt]

I brought my leather britches inside, didn't want the dew to get to them.

here's a photo

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[hunter63]

Now that looks right out of the frontier........cool pic.
Thanks for posting.

[Rick]

I did a small batch of these this morning to see how it turns out. I appreciate you guys posting on this. I'd never heard of them before so it's been a learning day. Gotta love that.

[Winnie]

I've just done the same, Rick. Never heard of them before and my freezers are full, I don't have enough jars to can more beans, so I thought this might be worth a go. Yep, still love learning.