Pole Beans

Shell them and cook as you would lima beans. Compost the pods.

Big bean pods are more palatable (and easier to cook) when sliced on the diagonal, e.g. into pieces less than an inch long and less than one cm wide. Special-purpose machines for this purpose were common 50 years ago. Some blender attachments slice beans.

Depending on variety, mature pole beans may be allowed to dry in the pod for use as seed. Mature beans work well as "shelley" beans, fresh or dried. "Extra" immature-to-moderately-mature pole beans freeze well; they also dehydrate well, provided that one first freezes them. Thaw before placing into food dryer, of course.

Never heard of freezing before putting them into the dryer. Why would that be?

BTW, this was my first year for Scarlet Runner Beans - the humming birds loved the flowers, they were extremely prolific and rather tasty, although I didn't know what to do with them at first.

I should clarify that I was referring to "snap" or cut beans in the pod, which have a high water content and a relatively impermeable skin. As the beans freeze, the water expands enough to break down cell walls so that they dry more reliably and evenly. Also, freezing can kill insect eggs and/or larvae that may survive dehydration.

Gotcha, thanks. I don't use a dryer much, although I have one. I remember stories of my great grandmother who said they strung beans with thread and hung them in the attic to dry. Now, when I mention that to my mother, she says I'm mistaken that they spread them out on sheets in the attic.

I froze several bags full last weekend and also pickled a few jars. To pickle I pack them in jars with a head of dried dill seeds, mustard seeds, a clove of whole peeled garlic, a whole jalapeno, and fill with boiling mix of half vinegar and water with kosher salt. The pickled beans are great in bloody marys!